


Fairy Academy; Freshyear

by TriceTokushu



Series: Fairy Academy [1]
Category: Fairly OddParents
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Gen, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Mild Language, Mild Sexual Content, Past Abuse, Past Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-12 08:55:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 105,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28632861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TriceTokushu/pseuds/TriceTokushu
Summary: **Continuation of Poofy Pants High AU** Entering a new beginning can be difficult, but in order to start anew, one must reconcile with remnants of the past that are unbeneficial for growth and prosperity. Otherwise, they will maneuver the course of the present in detrimental ways.
Relationships: Blonda Fairywinkle/ Original Male Character, Cosmo Cosma & Wanda Fairywinkle Cosma, Cosmo Cosma/Wanda Fairywinkle Cosma
Series: Fairy Academy [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2098314
Kudos: 1





	1. Chapter 1

"Have a nice night, you guys." the shamrock green-haired fairy said as he handed the married couple their check. After a couple of 'thank yous', he flew behind the bar towards the back to begin the process of ending his shift for the night.

Cosmo wanted to start making his own money so he wouldn't have to rely on the cushion of Mr. Twinkle's wallet. When the 'Help Wanted' sign appeared on the Fairy World Diner window a couple of days after high school graduation, he seized the opportunity and, with Wanda's help, filled out an application. He was expecting the job search process to be a long, grueling process, but all he had to do to get the job was turn in a completed application and speak with the manager for an interview.

He was actually shocked when he was hired right then and there. Whether his boss, Mr. Wonka, had higher expectations for him than Cosmo had in himself didn't seem to play much of a factor; Cosmo actually took well to the training required to become a decent server. Besides a few spills (actually a lot of spills) and order mix-ups here and there, Cosmo had quickly become one of Mr. Wonka's more reliable employees. The fact that Mr. Wonka was extremely patient with him, only giving constructive criticism when necessary, helped Cosmo to thrive in the fast pace environment. Even if in Mr. Wonka's case, this required a great deal of patience for the fairly simple-minded bean.

As Cosmo went over to the POS system to cash out, a mocha fairy with tangerine eyes and a matching curly afro had already punched out for the night, and when he turned to see Cosmo, he flew over to him and gave his shoulder a couple of taps to get his attention.

"Thornton!" Cosmo happily greeted, holding out his hand as his friend gave a high five. "You all finished for the night, too?"

"Yessir." Thornton replied with a sly smile, gladly taking off his kitchen robe. "You?"

"I'm cashing out now." Cosmo smiled proudly. "I managed to get a lot of tables and a _lot_ of great tips, so I bet my check's gonna be huge!"

"That's great, Coz." Thornton praised. "And here I thought you'd get yourself fired when you first started."

"Haha, yeah." Cosmo chuckled. "You and everyone else."

When Cosmo started working at the diner as a server, he worked a lot with Thornton who was one of the cooks preparing the food in the back. They always had the same shift, so Thornton would mostly be the one to set Cosmo's orders out just by happenchance. While some of the other workers never quite understood the quirkiness of Cosmo's nature, Thornton was one of the few to embrace it. This led to Cosmo quickly bonding with Thornton, giving him something to look forward to whenever he was scheduled to work.

Thornton wasn't very muscular, but he wasn't the same scrawny build as Cosmo either. He'd often come to work with a do-rag over his afro, not only for a sense of style but to tame the mane underneath his paper hat, and Mr. Wonka would always gripe about his untucked shirt in the back which, Thornton would always tuck in but then tuck it back out whenever Mr. Wonka was gone. His kind yet 'take-no-mess' personality turned out to be another factor that played in his friendship with Cosmo; his sense of individuality, nonchalant demeanor, and slight rebellion against authority reminded him a lot of Spike.

Once Cosmo and Thornton were officially off the clock, Cosmo felt his phone vibrate in his back pocket, indicating he had gotten a new message. He opened his phone to see a text from Wanda informing him that she and Susie were waiting outside, and when Thornton noticed the gushy smile on Cosmo's face, he chuckled as he asked "That yo little beau?"

Cosmo looked over with a smirk, knowing Thornton meant no disrespect. Because Cosmo randomly called Wanda his little beau one day, Thornton would always refer to Wanda as such out of friendly banter. "Yeah, it's my beau. You jealous?"

"Nah man, I'm good." Thornton grinned, putting his brown leather jacket over his uniform. "I got three hoes waitin' on be back at the crib."

Cosmo's smile soon turned into that of astonishment. "Wait, are you a pimp?!"

"Bruh, nah!" Thornton laughed, shoving Cosmo playfully. "I'm just messin' with you."

"Right…" Cosmo chuckled embarrassingly, reminded of another factor pointing out Thornton's eerie similarity to Spike…dude always got jokes.

Meanwhile, as the car engine ran idle in the parking lot, Wanda smiled as she received a text of what was supposed to look like a kissy face from her boyfriend. Susie's indigo eyes looked over to the girl of rosette curls, watching as Wanda replied back before she reclined into the driver's seat with a satisfied sigh. "It's been so great having a car all summer."

"I know right." Wanda added, turning to the ebony fairy beside her. "I'm honestly surprised the car still runs."

"Well," Susie shrugged, aware that the car was an old hand-me-down from her grandmother and had definitely seen better days. "we're just lucky it hasn't broken down on us."

A few moments after, the girls noticed Cosmo and Thornton exit the diner with their personal belongings, scanning the parking lot before they spotted Susie's car. Susie let down her window to greet them as they approached the driver's side.

"Hey, Susie." Cosmo waved before resting folded arms over the car door as he peered inside. "Thanks for the ride."

"Anytime!" Susie smiled, glancing towards the pink fairy beside her. "Glad to be an excuse for Wanda to see her beau thing."

Wanda eyes slit as her cheeks blushed red, prompting a few giggles from Susie.

"You guys remember Thornton, right?" Cosmo asked, motioning towards the male fairy beside him.

"Of course!" Susie replied before giving Thornton a friendly wave. "How's it going, Thornton?"

"Can't complain." Thornton smirked, leaning in from the side of the window. "You guys ready for orientation?"

"Who isn't?" Susie responded while Wanda nodded in agreeance.

"Ha, that's what's up." Thornton then turned to Cosmo with a balled fist, getting ready to leave. "Aye, text me when you move into yo' dorm so I can link up wit y'all."

"Kay." Cosmo bumped Thornton's fist with his own. "See ya!"

Thornton waved goodbye to the group before heading towards his motorcycle a few car spaces over, and Cosmo floated over to the passenger side of the car, tapping the glass for Wanda to let down her window. In doing so, Susie looked over to see Wanda receive a loving kiss on her lips, making Wanda smile as Cosmo entered the backseat of the car.

"You know," Susie began, letting up her window before putting the transmission into reverse. "as much as I liked Juandissimo, it's been so refreshing seeing you two together again."

Wanda smiled softly when Cosmo leaned over the passenger seat to kiss her once more on her cheek, but when Susie pulled out of the parking lot, Wanda's smile slowly faded from the unintentional reminder of her ex.

Rightfully so, Wanda had been so caught up in the rekindled butterflies of her relationship with Cosmo that the thought of Juandissimo had been shoved into the back of her mind. She hadn't seen or heard from him since the breakup, and though she knew she shouldn't care…

She couldn't help but wonder if he was okay.

* * *

With the cast of the full moon glowing against the dark of the night sky, Juandissimo floated with hands in his pockets as he made his way up the stone path to the Fairywinkle mansion. Admittedly, he'd spent more time there than at his own home, and regardless of the small reminders of his ex, he guessed it was better than losing his mind within the four walls of his bedroom.

Once at the front door, he knocked a few times and waited to be let inside, mindlessly rubbing the toe cap of one sneaker against the side of the other. His mind began to wonder before the clink of unlocking the bolt lock brought him out of his head, and when the door opened, a fairy with flaxen curls welcomed him with a smile.

"Hey, chico." Blonda flew closer to give a soft peck to Juandissimo's lips. He didn't seem to react which slightly dampened her good spirits. "Are you okay?"

Juandissimo lowered his gaze as he let out a somber sigh. "…I would like to be."

She was no stranger to his somber moods. When she heard through the grapevine that her sister broke up with him just to go back with some moron, she couldn't believe it. Wanda was supposed to be the smart one; how could she make such a stupid decision? Was that idiot really worth dumping a good guy standing right in front of her? A part of her was oddly curious, but then another part of her didn't want to care. All that mattered to her is that she'd be there for him to pick up the pieces.

Blonda extended a tender hand, smiling softly. "Here. Come in."

Juandissimo accepted her hand as she led him inside, closing the door upon his entry. Based on the fact that the only lights on in the entire house were that of the living room, Juandissimo concluded that Blonda was left by herself yet again.

Over the summer, Big Daddy spent a good portion of his days at the office, occasionally sleeping there as it was often times too painful to sleep in the master bed he once shared with his late wife. This meant Blonda had the house to herself…a lot. In a way, he assumed that keeping Blonda's company wasn't just to try and take his mind off of his problems. Blonda usually hated being alone unless she truly wanted privacy, and she usually hated being alone because that meant her mind had time to think about things she'd rather forget.

With one thing and one thing only on her mind, Blonda gently pulled Juandissimo closer by the hand to where their torsos touched, and the tip of her other fingers caressed his cheek, staring into his blue-violet eyes. "…I can help you be okay." Blonda persuaded in her silk, alluring voice. "Just like I have been…"

"…I am not sure…" Juandissimo spoke softly, lowering Blonda's hand from his cheek. "…if I want that tonight."

Blonda pouted. "I know that you know what we both really want…"

Juandissimo averted his eyes. "…I do not know if I want that anymore."

Blonda allowed her lips to curl into a small grin, knowing just the thing to change his mind. Raising both hands to cup his face, Blonda parted her lips to his, letting one kiss linger before she gave another. She understood that Juandissimo had wounds that have yet to heal, but at the same time, she couldn't understand why he was so hung up on losing Wanda when it was clear she had moved on. She maintained patience though, because she knew that, eventually, he would come to realize he had fallen in love with the wrong Fairywinkle.

As much as Juandissimo wanted to resist the seduction, it wasn't long before he started kissing Blonda back, holding the small of her waist as her folded around his neck. When Blonda suggested they integrate sex into their platonic relationship, physical intimacy with his ex's twin sister probably wasn't the best decision he ever made. However, in his state of mind, at least it sometimes served its purpose of distraction.

With each kiss growing more feverish, Blonda led Juandissimo to the couch, relieving him of his jacket and carelessly tossing it aside. Submitting to his fleshly desires, Juandissimo to pull down one of the straps to her turquoise dress, exposing the strap of her lace bra, and she parted from his lips just long enough to lightly push him onto the couch, positioning their bodies to where she straddled on top. Blonda tilted her head slightly as Juandissimo's tongue danced with hers, swaying her hips in a rocking motion against his jeans, just beneath his belt buckle. His fingers combed her blonde locks while her fingers traced every carve of his six-pack, untucking his shirt to feel the warmth of his chestnut skin….

The girl with swirly pink curls appeared in a flash behind Juandissimo's eyes.

Annnnnnnd everything came to a screeching halt.

Blonda blinked in surprise as Juandissimo held her arms against her sides, stopping them from going any further. Perplexity crossed her face as he inched backwards, taking deep breaths as he shook his head in self-doubt. "I cannot do this…"

"What?" Blonda felt a tad irritated; things were going so well! "Why?!"

"I just cannot seem to forget her…" Juandissimo rose from the couch, ashamed by Blonda's confused gaze. "…It does not help that we have the same major, which means we will have almost all of the same classes, which means it will only be more difficult not to be reminded of her when I am forced to see her almost every day!"

"But you have me!" Blonda stood from the couch as well, flying over to hold his shoulders. "I can help you to forget…"

Juandissimo shook his head 'no,' softly removing her hands. His heart proved too fragile after all. "…I do not think we should continue this."

Blonda shook her head in disappointment. Couldn't he see what was right in front of him? Could he not see someone who actually wanted to love him!?

Hiding tears threatening to fall, bitterness was clear in what she asked next.

"Is it because I look like her?"

Juandissimo's face went blank. "…¡¿Perdóneme?!"

"Hello?! We're identical twins!" Blonda retorted, crossing her arms over her chest. "It's a valid question!"

He stared at her with his own eyes of disappointment, pained by her harsh truth. He couldn't believe what he was hearing; she had officially crossed the line!

Without a proper rebuttal, Juandissimo grabbed his jacket from the ground, having no desire to stick around. "We are done."

"Wait!" Blonda took hold of his right arm, her frustrations quickly turning to despair which became apparent in the crack of her voice. "Don't go…"

Juandissimo paused, unable to look at the tears in her eyes he knew were there. He didn't want their friendship to end, but it would be tough to go back to the way things used to be before sex got involved. Because he had agreed to go through with their friends with benefits, it all blew up in his face, leaving him to deal with the loss of yet another person he deeply cared for…

Ultimately knowing it would be best for him to leave, Juandissimo pulled his arm out of her grasp, speaking just above a whisper. "Lo siento…"

Blonda could no longer prevent her tears from falling as she watched him fly out the front door. Juandissimo had become one of her best friends. She had a stronger connection with him that she realized she never had with _any_ other guy in her life, not even Luther or Treveston. He was there for her in the darkest of her days and relit the candle of her will to go on, especially after the passing of her mother. Over the summer, he was there for her at her loneliest, and he revived the belief in her that she deserved to be loved.

But now, after everything they've been through, after everything they've shared…

Why would he just leave her like this?

* * *

The rising sun of early morning transitioned blues and indigos into violets and magentas. Leaning against the passenger door of Susie's car, Wanda casually twirled the rosette and magenta beads of her bracelet circling her right wrist, jingling the gold heart key charm with her fingers as she prided herself in not throwing away one of Cosmo's most precious gifts to her. Her swirly pink curls flowed down her back, styling it where they draped over one side of her shoulder, and while she still wore her fingerless arm-warmers to hide scars that hadn't quite healed properly, her yellow tank top sported a studded black cardigan for sleeves. Her black pleated skirt was lined with pink ruffles, and her black combats came knee length to her fishnets.

She remembered back to about a year ago when she and Cosmo watched the stars on top of the cliff, and Cosmo made a wish upon a shooting star for them to stay together forever and ever. At the time, she had doubts that they could continue to hide their relationship, yet Cosmo had faith that there will come a time when their love could be free. It truly amazed her just how right Cosmo was at the time; perhaps it was destined for _their_ wish to come true.

After shoving the last of her belongings inside the trunk, Susie turned to her grandmother and wrapped her arms around her as Grandma Cocoa returned the loving gesture. She kept her cornrows up until she tied the rest of her natural kinks into a high puff, and her bleached-wash denim jacket covered her Leprechaun Park band-T-shirt stopping just above her tiered black skirt, footed with violet buckled platforms.

"Thank you." Susie smiled against her grandmother's cheek. "For being the mother I never got to meet."

"Aww, sweetie." Grandma Cocoa's aging arms squeezed tighter, planting a sweet kiss on Susie's cheek. "No matter how old you get…" she stepped back slightly to look her granddaughter in the eyes as she gleamed with warmth. "…you will _always_ be my baby."

Wanda observed the touching moment from afar as Susie tearfully hugged her grandmother once more. Susie's mother tragically passed away just minutes after childbirth, and her father walked out of her life at such at the vulnerable age of four. Grandma Cocoa was all the family Susie had, so when her grandmother was left with the choice to take her in, she promised to love her as if she were her own, even if it meant she was technically starting over. For the almost five years Wanda knew Susie, she saw just how strong the chains of their bond, so Wanda expected the goodbyes to be emotional for both.

Once the sentimentality ended, Susie flew over to the driver's side to start the car as Wanda went to give Grandma Cocoa her own hug 'goodbye,' a hug Grandma Cocoa gladly accepted. "Thank you for taking me in."

"You don't have to thank me, sugah'." Grandma Cocoa grinned from ear to ear. "Just don't be no stranger, ya here?" She broke the hug to take both of Wanda's hands into her own. "You're always welcomed."

A rumble of the engine started in the background as Wanda coyly smiled, appreciative of Grandma Cocoa's kindness, before she turned to walk across the front bumper to the passenger side. Susie lowered her driver's side window to tell her grandmother she'll call her once she and Wanda are settled, and with a few final waves, Grandma Cocoa looked on as Susie set the car in drive and pulled from the curb into the main road.

**. . . . . .**

Grunting in frustration, Cosmo used as much force as he could muster to push down on his suitcase stuffed with clothes in attempts to close the claps, not thinking about how much he had overpacked. Having taken inspiration from living with Spike, the left side of his head had been buzzed where his shag hung in a side-shave, he pierced his ears, and his fingerless leather gloves were accessorized with black spiked cuffs. He still wore the same hoodie Wanda had gifted him long ago with the sleeves rolled, and he kept the same blue denim jeans and chuck taylors. Unfortunately for him, he still had his metal mouth, but at least he only needed braces for one more year.

Part of him couldn't believe it; he was on his way to begin his studies at the Fairy Academy. His suicide attempt mid Spring set him back quite a bit, yet he managed to catch up to graduate high school literally by a thread. When he got his acceptance letter, he was informed of his academic probation, but Spike guaranteed all Cosmo had to do was maintain a good GPA and his academic probation would be wiped clean. _Oh yeah,_ Cosmo once thought. _That'll be a piece of cake!_ That's if he didn't take his full-time job at the diner into account.

Juggling a relationship, a full-time job, and now life as a full-time student, Cosmo doubted if he'd be able to spin so many plates. Then again, he didn't have much of a choice. With no scholarship or his mother's bank to help with funding his education, he'd have to rely on his job to make it. He knew he'd have his friends and his girlfriend to support him, but he still had a tendency to self-doubt.

As Cosmo continued to fight with his suitcase, a cobalt-blue fairy entered the guest bedroom, laughing to himself as the not-so-shocking scene. His high-fade mohawk had grown from the length of his hair, his black Fairnevermore T-shirt missing sleeves that had clearly been removed to expose the biceps developed from his summer workouts. His dark denim slim jeans were riddled with different patches of other fairy punk bands, and he traded his combat boots for chuck taylors similar to Cosmo's. "…Need any help there, bud?"

"What?" Cosmo's head snapped to Spike leaning against the doorframe, attempting to clamp the clasp only for it to flick backwards on his finger. "OW!" He stuck his finger into his mouth, trying to soothe the throbbing as he shamefully groaned "…no…"

Spike chuckled, causally floating closer to his struggling friend. "It honestly amazes me how you've accumulated more junk in three months living here than in the entire lifetime you lived with your mom."

He saw Cosmo's face fall in apprehension. "…What is it?"

"Um…" Cosmo hesitated, standing up from his suitcase as he scratched the shaved side of his hair. "…she's been calling me again."

"What?" Spike gasped. "How'd she get your new number?!"

"I dunno." Cosmo replied. "But she won't leave me alone."

As much as Cosmo hated himself for it, deep down, _deeeeeeeeeep deep_ down in the very crevice of his heart, he still held a bit of a soft spot for the woman who gave him life. Not to say it didn't annoy him whenever his mother blew up his phone at random points throughout the summer. It was almost as if she couldn't see or, possibly, didn't care that he didn't want to talk to her.

"You can always block her number, y'know." Spike reminded. "You don't have to deal with that kind of harassment."

"I know." Cosmo sighed. "…but I can't bring myself to do it."

He could still remember the tears in her eyes and the remorse in her voice the day he walked out of her house for good. In a way, it bothered him in knowing just how much he was hurting her, but it bothered him less just how much he didn't care in the moment. Good memories with his mother became harder to remember as time went on, and his life had gotten so much better without her.

He had the girl of his dreams again, he had amazing friends, he was able to sustain a decent job and make a decent living, he was able to get his driver's license so he could one day purchase his own vehicle with the money he made on his own, and he was on his way to college; without the constraints and rigidity of his mother, he had grown up more in three months than he ever could in three years. He had every right to cut her off completely and never speak to her or see her again for the rest of eternity; however, for some reason, he just couldn't.

This was something Spike couldn't understand for the life of him, having gotten to know the core innocence of Cosmo's spirit; aside from when he and Wanda were not together, he never really held grudges against anyone who wronged him, not even against Luther. Maybe, in Spike's opinion, that was Cosmo's weakness. Eventually, Cosmo needed to learn when to stop giving chances.

Taking it upon himself, Spike flew over to the nightstand where Cosmo's phone rested, ignoring Cosmo questioning him of his intensions. He searched through Cosmo's calls until he found the unsaved number he assumed to be Mama Cosma, and with a couple buttons pressed, Spike hovered back to his friend, holding out the phone in triumph.

"There." Spike took Cosmo's hand to set the phone face up in his palm. "I blocked and deleted her number for you."

"What?!" Cosmo was dumbfounded. "Why would you do that?!"

"Instead of questioning me, you should be thanking me."

Cosmo opened his mouth to protest, but when he couldn't find a proper rebuttal, he pressed his lips together in defeat. Spike was right; he _should_ be thanking him. But why did that feel more like a chore?

"Now, c'mon." Spike grinned, ruffling Cosmo's hair as Cosmo scrunched him brow. "Susie and Wanda are gonna be here any minute."

Going to gather the rest of his own belongings, Spike left the room to go back down the hall to his own room. Cosmo was left alone as he glanced to the phone sitting in his hand, arguing with himself as to whether he should keep the number blocked.

**. . . . . .**

While Alewandro couldn't protect his poor face from the wrath of his mother's multiple kisses, Juanita nestled her cheek into the side of her brother's neck as Juandissimo rested his chin on her shoulder, arms interlocked around the other. Having gone through some dark days, Juandissimo's style soon adapted; his high school letterman jacket was now a black leather one, he'd acquired a left lip ring, and a black leather belt supported his jeans, footed with black converse.

With Juanita entering her junior year at Carl Poofy Pants and Juandissimo beginning his freshman year at the Fairy Academy, this would be the first time in the entirety of their lives where they couldn't see each other every day. It wasn't until the moment they held each other in farewells when Juandissimo realized just how much he didn't know what he would do without the love and support of his little sister.

Sensing his conflict, Juanita lowered her voice to where only Juandissimo could hear her, reminding him of the words a special person from their lives used to sing. "…No estas solo."

Juandissimo managed a soft grin as he squeezed her tighter before breaking the embrace, noticing Alewandro squirm as Mrs. Magnifico gave one last kiss on his forehead. She set him free to give Juanita his hug goodbye as Juandissimo quietly flew over to his mother, floating into her welcoming arms. She smiled in his arms as she held him close, wishing she could hold him forever. "Te quiero mucho, mijo." Mrs. Magnifico gave an endearing smooch on her son's cheek. "Siempre…"

"Yo también…" Juandissimo returned, attempting to hide the hint of sadness in his voice.

"Too bad papá had to work." Alewandro commented, ruffling Juanita's hair just to annoy her. His top fade had been slicked back past his shoulders due to how much his hair had grown over the summer, he wore a jean jacket matching Susie's bleached-wash over a sky-blue hoody, and his converse sneakers similar to his brother's matched the black jeans distressed on the kneecaps.

"I know." Mrs. Magnifico sighed as she let Juandissimo go. "At least he was able to see you two last night before his shift."

Alewandro shut the back of the trunk to his SUV. "When is he getting off nights again?"

"They tell him soon…" Mrs. Magnifico replied with air quotes. "'Soon' being the operative word."

"Of, course…"

Juandissimo made his way to the passenger side while Alewandro opened the driver's door. "One of us will call to let you know we made it."

Standing in front of the front door, Mrs. Magnifico and Juanita waved as Alewandro entered the SUV and turned the ignition, and they watched as the SUV reversed from the driveway and drove off in the street. The car was a graduation gift for both sons, though Alewandro ended up driving it more simply because Juandissimo didn't really go anywhere besides Blonda's. So, it just kind of slowly became his car, which, Juandissimo didn't seem to care much.

Beginning their two-hour journey, Alewandro wanted to break the awkward silence by turning on the radio, flipping between stations to find absolutely nothing interesting except replays of the same five songs. "Do not know why I thought that was a good idea…"

He turned the radio off to switch to the CD player while keeping his eyes on the road. "Anything you want to listen to, Juan?...Juandissimo?"

Alewandro looked over to his brother with his palm supporting his chin against the door, staring out the window lost in thought. "Oye…" Alewandro patted Juandissimo's leg to get his attention. "¿Qué tienes en mente?"

Letting out a solemn sigh, Juandissimo turned his attention back to the window, not in the mood to explain yet another vision of his mother in a pool of her own blood. "Nada…"

**. . . . . .**

Completely over the annoying Pop song blaring through the car speakers, Blonda rode in the backseat of Amethyst's car with her arms crossed as Amethyst and her sisters loudly sang along to the lyrics, all three confidently tone deaf. Wearing her flaxen curls combed to one side similar to her sister's, her asymmetrical turquoise dress rested thigh length, fitted with a white belt around the waist, and she traded turquoise pumps for pearl white to match her pearl earrings and choker necklace/bracelet set. Of course, in the same fashion as their entire lives, the Gemstone triplets had their own matching dresses to Blonda; lilac for Amethyst, moody-blue for Sapphire, and raspberry for Ruby.

Just as she figured, her father was too drunk from enjoying too much of bourbon's comfort to get himself out of bed. At least she had her Uncle Carmine and Uncle Piero to send her off, but it would have been nice for her father to care enough to say goodbye to the one remaining daughter he still claimed. Watching clouds and mountains pass by through the window, she couldn't help but reminisce about her late mother. Oh, how she wished she could hug her mother, or receive a kiss on a cheek, or even just to talk to her…one last time.

Noticing the silence of her best friend beside her in the backseat, Ruby nudged Blonda's shoulder. "Why aren't you singing?!" Ruby eagerly asked as Amethyst turned the volume down. "It's your favorite song!"

"A song you three have played on repeat within the same hour of this drive!" Blonda complained. "It's starting to get old…"

Sapphire, residing in the front passenger seat, turned around to Blonda sitting directly behind her. "Soooooooo you wanna listen to something else?"

"I don't want to listen to music anymore…" Blonda muttered, lowering her gaze.

Amethyst could see Blonda's frown from the rearview mirror, an idea suddenly coming to mind. "I know ex _act_ ly what'll lift your spirits!" she chimed, wanting to keep the mood lighthearted. "A new beau!"

"Yeah!" Sapphire enthusiastically agreed. "Drinks and shopping couldn't hurt either!"

"We should all go out for drinks after all the orientation stuff for the day!" Ruby suggested with her sisters in total agreeance before glancing over to Blonda. "What do you think?!"

"I think you all should just be quiet." Blonda griped, in no mood for their shenanigans.

"Aww, c'mon!"

"I just wanna be left alone, okay?!"

The Gemstone triplet's merry expressions soon turned to that of true concern, Sapphire watching as Blonda's eyes began to water. "Blonda…"

"Just leave me alone." Blonda sniffed, avoiding their stares with her eyes towards the scenery outside her window. She hated when she cried and she hated when she cried seemingly over nothing.

Feeling the whole vibe completely disappear, Amethyst simply switched off the radio, paying attention to the road as Sapphire and Ruby shrugged at each other before looking out their own windows.

They've witnessed Blonda's many mood swings whenever they hung out with her, and though it annoyed them at first, lately they wondered if there was something more going on with her. Perhaps it could have been the fact that her increasingly alcoholic father was virtually absent. Maybe it was her 'sexualationship' with Juandissimo that essentially resulted in a loss of friendship. Or maybe, she was still grieving the loss of her mother, seeing days where Blonda would be completely fine before she grew quiet the next, making herself cry whenever she'd talk about her.

Either way, at the end of the day, they wished they knew how to help her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Regrettably a short chapter, but it's the only way to keep the flow of the story. Next chapter's hopefully long enough :)

Fairy Academy; magical institution of higher learning established around the 10th century, located in the college town of Rainbow Bridge.

Multiple academic departments provided a plethora of associates and bachelor’s degrees in any field scholars wished. With the academy being so diverse from majors and minors down to the variety of students, Head Master Dumblesnore promoted intellectual excellence, academic vivacity, and professional, social, as well as personal development of students and staff. Despite being the only university for all of Fairy World, there was no doubt that anyone who enrolled would benefit greatly attending a school grounded in quality education and ethical integrity.

Getting settled in the four white brick walls of their Taurus Hall dorm room, Cosmo tossed his green polyester blanket over the white sheets of his bed while Spike unpacked his suitcase in the black wood drawers under his bed. Besides a few individual decorations and arrangements, all dorms were pretty standard in structure and arrangement. Two single mattresses on a wooden frame tall enough to store anything underneath, paired with matching beige wooden study desks with black armless office chairs. Oak wardrobe storage cabinets lined both sides of the walls next to the beds, wood-like marble flooring, cotton-white brick walls, and round ceiling lights. Basically, the bare minimum.

A knock on their opened door caught both boys’ attention, and Cosmo turned around to see a familiar tangerine fairy standing in the doorway. “Thornton!” Cosmo flew over to his friend, thrilled to see him as if he didn’t just see him the day before. “You found our room!”

“It’s not that hard to find, Coz.” Thornton shrugged with a small laugh.

As Cosmo welcomed Thornton inside, Spike noticed the white over-sized sports jacket with stripes long the sides of his sleeves. His acid-wash jeans sagged slightly down to his pearl white vans, and a Cuban gold necklace hung just above his belt buckle. Digging mystery dude’s swag, Spike flew to Cosmo’s side, figuring he should probably be friendly to the guy he’s heard so much. “So you must be the Thornton I kept getting my ear talked off about.”

“And you must be the Spike Coz talked _my_ ear off about.” Thornton greeted. “Though not as much as he talks about his little beau, that’s for damn sure.”

Glancing back and fourth between the two, Cosmo soon came to a realization. “Oh wow, you guys haven’t met yet! Thornton, this is my high school best friend, Spike! Spike, this is my work best friend, Thornton!”

“Yo, wussup.” Thornton extended a hand for Spike to shake.

“Nice ta meet ya.” Spike grasped Thornton’s right hand. “Finally.”

“Ha, yeah.” Thornton agreed, releasing Spikes hand before noticing Spike’s hairdo. “Aye, nice ‘hawk, bro.”

“Thanks. Nothin’ but a little hair gel.”

“I could never.” Thornton grinned, tugging at a curl of his afro. “Too much hair.”

“Ha, that’s why the sides are shaved.”

Cosmo happily circled his arms around the necks of his best buddies. “I can’t believe my work best friend and my high school best friend get along!”

Thornton laughed against Cosmo’s cheek. “Why wouldn’t we, Coz?”

“I dunno.” Cosmo cheesed. “But it’s great that you do!”

“Well, we both gotta put up with you, right?” Spike joked.

“Hey!” Cosmo frowned, freeing them both. “I’m not that bad!”

“Ionno.” Thornton teased with a side-eye. “Would Wanda say that?”

Cosmo crossed his arms in a pout while Thornton and Spike couldn’t help but laugh. He knew they were joking, but both of them together seemed to be quite the deadly duo. He kind of expected as much; they were just different versions of the same person.

Thinking sporadically, he wondered if Wanda and Susie were all moved in yet.

**. . . . . .**

“What do you mean we’re in different rooms?!”

“I’m so sorry.” The female resident assistant apologized, sensing Susie’s ever-growing frustration. “But someone in the housing department screwed up all the applications for Pisces Hall and it’s too late to fix it.”

“But we applied to be roommates literally weeks in advance!” Susie retorted, hand pressed on the countertop leaning over the front residential desk. “Why do we have rooms beside each other?!”

“Again, I apologize.” The RA remorsefully repeated. “There’s nothing within my power that I can do. You can request a room change towards the end of the semester if you still want to room together, but that’s about all you can do.”

“Are you serious?!”

“Susie, it’s okay.” Wanda frowned, placing a consoling hand over Susie’s shoulder to pull her back. “We can just request rooms for next semester. We don’t have to make a scene.”

“But this is so unfair!” Susie griped.

“I know,” Wanda grabbed one key, aware that they were holding up the line of other students waiting to check in. “But at least we’re right beside each other, right?”

Susie’s pout reluctantly changed to that of admission of defeat. “Yeah…you’re right.” She took the other key from the desk, turning away to grab her belongings. “Let’s just go.”

Gathering the rest of their things, Wanda and Susie floated from the front desk to the center stairway, traveling up to the second floor where their rooms were. Venturing down the pastel-blue corridors passed other girls moving their things into their rooms, they stopped towards two doors halfway down the hall to their left, seeing both doors already opened, assuming their last-minute roommates had already checked in

“Whelp.” Susie deeply inhaled. “Here goes nothing.”

Upon entry into the room, Susie noticed a female fairy with mint-green wavy hair down her back, legs crossed over her bed with headphones over her ears. She set her things next to the vacant bed before hovering over to her roommate, waving a hand in front of her face to gain her attention. “Hi.” Susie greeted, putting on a friendly smile. “I’m Susie!”

Instead of returning the nice sentiment, the mint took off her headphones with no emotion present in her facials. “Minty.”

“Hey Minty!” Susie extended her hand, hoping to get some kind of handshake “Guess we’re roommates!”

Rolling her eyes, Minty rose from her bed, creasing her brow with menace in her tone. “Let me make myself clear. You stay in your lane,” she pointed passed Susie’s shoulder in the direction of the vacant bed. “And I’ll stay in mine.” She pointed towards herself. “Got that?”

Her friendly smile quickly fading, Susie snarled, looking her head to toe. _Uh…this trick bettah come correct! Who does she think she is?!_

“Good.” Minty stated matter-of-factly, not bothering to hide her blatant attitude. “Now…leave me, _and_ my business, alone. Got it?”

Minty rolled her eyes again before taking her seat back on top of her comforter, promptly shutting out the world around her with her headphones. Susie looked over her shoulder towards Wanda floating in the doorway, folding her arms with sheer ‘pissed off’ in her brow. “…is the semester over yet?”

Wanda chuckled, going over to her best friend to give a half-encouraging pat on her shoulder. “I’ll let you know when I’m settled.”

“Please hurry. Cuz that mouth of hers is about three seconds from meetin’ my fist.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Giving Susie a final pat, Wanda turned away to head to the room next door, hoping she didn’t get stuck with the same type of roommate.

Entering the room, Wanda could see a fairy with a marmalade-orange puff ponytail and matching puff bang organizing her chosen side room, setting school supplies on her desk. She sported a deep red wool sweater with a blue-jean pleated mini skirt and burgundy baby doll flats, making Wanda wonder whether she was hot or cold. Trying not to startle her too much, Wanda used the joint of her fingers to knock on the door, and the fairy turned towards Wanda with teal orbs as Wanda floated over to the left of the room to set her things aside.

“You must be my mystery roommate.” The fairy commented with a soft grin, watching Wanda set her purse on top of the bedsheets.

“That I am.” Wanda’s lips curled into a shy smile as she approached, absently rubbing her right arm before holding it out. “I’m Wanda.”

“Hey, I’m Rose.” Rose introduced, returning the gesture. “Nice to meet you.”

“You as well.” Wanda shook her hand before letting go, lucky her roommate wasn’t off-putting. “Your rooming situation get messed up too?”

“Yup.” Rose replied simply. “I applied to room alone; of course, that comes with the additional room fee. But when I got here…boom! Placed me with a roommate.”

“Wow.” Wanda sympathized. “That sucks.”

“Kind of.” Rose shrugged. “At least they waived my fee for their screw up.”

“That’s good at least.” Wanda flew over to her suitcase to begin unpacking. “My best friend and I were supposed to be roommates, but they stuck her in the room beside us. Her roommate wasn’t exactly happy about it.”

“Oh, that girl Minty?” Rose acknowledged, well aware of who the girl next door was. “I went to Spellman with her…she’s a colossal she-devil.”

Such a blunt fact gave Wanda a nice little giggle. “Well, I hope Susie can survive.”

“Pssh.” Rose humored. “I give it two weeks before we gotta bail her out of jail.”

Normally, Wanda wouldn’t feel so quick to be open with new people. Trust wasn’t something she had a lot of to give out so freely as only a few in all of Fairy World were fortunate enough to gain it. Something sensed different with Rose…kind of safe. She seemed so easygoing; she didn’t have to try very hard to be herself, and Wanda felt the same way around her.

Perhaps she just learned how to pick up on good vibes.

* * *

Located in Leo Hall, Juandissimo set his guitar case in the left corner of the room between the foot of his bed and the closet, while Alewandro reached for his phone in his jacket, feeling it vibrate in his pocket. ‘Mi Bonita’ appeared in the header of the text message preview, and when he opened the message, he chuckled to himself as he read “ ** _Wandro, Imma kill this hoe…_** _”_

Juandissimo’s tried to ignore the concaving pit in his stomach, looking away from his smiling brother texting his girlfriend back. It wasn’t just the hardening glue of his brother’s bond with his girlfriend that bothered him; it was the harsh reality that he no longer shared that same bond with the girl he loved. What triggered him more was that Alewandro had spent most of the summer with Susie, going out on double dates with his ex and that tonto verde…almost as if he was throwing his suffering in his face like it didn’t matter.

“Hey Juan,” Alewandro called, pressing the send button to his message. “how about we go get a bite to eat before orientation starts?” His question was met with silence, causing him to look up from his phone. “…Juandissimo?”

“I heard you.” Juandissimo replied, slightly irritated as he took a seat on his bed. “I am not hungry…”

Alewandro stared at his brother; something seemed…off. “Are you okay?”

Juandissimo sighed, his eyes cast down with his chin in his palms. “You would not understand.”

Sometimes Alewandro found his own brother hard to read. He’d try to talk to him, but Juandissimo would either be really short or just no talk to him all together. The confusing part was how Juandissimo had no problem talking to Juanita; in fact, he’d mostly hear what was going on with Juandissimo through their sister and not him directly. This created a bit of a drift between them, resulting in them not being as close as they once were, and Alewandro feared Juandissimo had regressed back to his old ways.

Alewandro flew over to his brother, sincerity in his tone. “Juandissimo…por favor.” he kneeled down to Juandissimo’s eyes level. “Do not shut me out again.”

“Why should I not?” Juandissimo countered. “You know what that pendejo did, and yet you continue to keep his company.”

His ice-blue met his blue-violet, searching for where any of this defense was coming from. It’s not like he actively sought out Cosmo’s companionship just to smite Juandissimo; he became friends through Wanda, just like how he became friends with Wanda through Susie. It just kind of happened. Why did it feel like he was being punished for it?

Growing irritated himself, Alewandro stood up from his kneel. “Is this how you are going to be all semester? Because I did not agree to be your roommate just for you to act like this!”

His rhetorical question was met with a glare from Juandissimo. Why was he acting as if _he_ was in the wrong? Not even an hour after Wanda broke up with him, Alewandro dragged him to some stupid graduation party he didn’t want to go to, thinking it could ‘take his mind’ off of getting his heart chewed and spat in his face. What made it worse, Alewandro invited Susie before anyone knew what Wanda was going to do, but instead of being there for him, Alewandro spent all of his time either socializing with everyone with his girlfriend on his arm, or dancing and/or making out with said girlfriend. His excuse? “I did not want Susie to feel left out since she was around a lot of people she normally did not hang around, and I assumed you would just try to enjoy yourself.

That was strike one.

Strike two, was when the _very_ next day, he went with Susie on a double date with Wanda in celebration of them officially getting back together. He probably wouldn’t have cared if he didn’t know, but the fact that Alewandro _told_ him this before he left as if he was supposed to be okay with it? That got under his skin.

Feeling yet another dagger to his soul, Juandissimo sprung from his seat, ignoring Alewandro’s calls to him, he left the room with a slam of the door.

**. . . . . .**

Floating along the stone path from Libra Hall, Blonda flew quietly beside Ruby as she and her sisters chatted amongst themselves. When Blonda and Ruby were finished moving in to their dorm room, they met up with Sapphire and Amethyst in their room before going for a walk together to Godric Hall. They were on their way to where freshmen orientation festivities were taking place, excited to see everything Fairy Academy had to offer. The triplets left Blonda to her thoughts since she was still in a bit of a mood; they figured they’d just leave her be until she eventually felt better.

“Stupid Glittershit!”

All four girls turned to the sound of a gang of boys shoving and pushing a tiny blush-pink fairy, a swoop of his shoulder-length hair just above his eyes and oddly wearing a diaper. They recognized Neptune from his neo-green eyes, but the other three fairies around him gave them weren’t familiar at all. Why four guys were ganging up on one fairy smaller than them? What could he have possibly done to them?

“Please, stop!” the pink fairy pleaded, holding his hands in defense. “I don’t want any trouble!”

“We don’t care if you don’t want trouble!” a fairy with brown eyes and matching hair snickered, knocking the fairy’s hands from protecting his face. He snatched his victim by his matching blush-pink T-shirt underneath his cotton V-neck vest. “We don’t like your kind!”

“Yeah, glittershit!” the navy-blue fairy teased, cracking his knuckles. “It’s Apollo and Clymene, not Apollo and Cupid!”

The navy-blue fairy proceeded to throw a punch right in the center of the pink fairy’s abdomen, the other fairies snickering at the pain in his whimpers, and a fairy with turquoise eyes smacked the pink fairy in the back of his head, knocking him to the stone gravel face first. He attempted to lift himself off the ground, holding a hand to his nose trickling blood, as Neptune and his goons flew off to wreak more havoc, high-fiving each other as they left.

Blonda could feel her walls soften at the sight of dismay in the fairy’s blue eyes. He looked so…defenseless. She went over to the blush-pink lad, bending down to extend a helping hand. “…You okay?”

He veered his eyes between the earnest in her pink orbs and the aid of her hand, wondering why she of all people would try to help him. “I will be…” Wincing from the sharp throb coursing through him, he took Blonda’s hand with his free one to force himself off the ground, dusting himself off while holding his nose. “Thank you.”

“Why were they messing with you?” Ruby genuinely asked.

“Well,” the pink fairy casually began, taking a handkerchief out of his white vest pocket. “when you’re a guy who likes wood and not carpet, it makes you a pretty easy target.” His eyes turned away to catch the four perpetrators brazenly walking away, slight shame in his voice as he wiped the blood from his nose. “Especially for jerks like them…”

“That’s not right at all!” Sapphire complained. “It’s not your fault you like what you like!”

He simply shrugged. “Preaching to the choir, sister.”

“You look like you could use some friends.” Amethyst assumed, feeling sympathetic. “What’s your name?”

His eyes met all of theirs, believing he’d have no reason to lie. “Cupid.”

“Well, Cupid,” Amethyst circled an arm around Cupid’s tense shoulders. “you should stick with us.”

“Totally!” Ruby agreed, Cupid eyeing her as she gave her own side hug. “We can all be total besties!”

Cupid wasn’t always a doubtful fairy, but it wasn’t every day that anyone who didn’t know him killed him with kindness. When he came out in 10th grade, the rest of his high school career was less than favorable, spending most of his time alone or battling bullies and jarheads. Looking at the four ladies offering their support to someone they barely knew, he remembered that not everyone was raised to be ignorant.

Allowing his lips to turn his frown upside down, Cupid accepted their offer, finding no reason not to trust them.

* * *

Soft rumbles of chatter resonated against the white marble tiles and sheetrock ceiling of one of Godric Hall’s largest conference rooms. Freshmen could attend different ‘get-to-know-me’ sessions and seminars about navigating through college life and what all extra curriculars Fairy Academy has to offer. A few students ran to their old friends, embracing each other as if they had not seen the other in forever, while other students developed new relationships that could potentially last for a lifetime.

Entering into the conference room, Spike and Thornton observed the assortment of small crowds while Cosmo scanned the room for one particular girl with swirly pink hair. Wanda had texted him saying she and Susie were there with a new friend, and though she told him exactly where to find them, he still felt the need to search the room because even he knew he’d probably miss her in plain sight.

“Yo.” Thornton elbowed Spike’s shoulder, pointing over to the familiar heads of a black cornrow puff and rosette curls. “I think that’s them over there.”

Spike lifted himself slightly to get a better view, noting the indigo and pink eyes that soon met his. “Yep, that’s them!”

Once Cosmo saw what his friends could see, he wasted no time dashing through the crowd to his destination, Spike and Thornton practically struggling to keep up. Before Wanda could register it was Cosmo coming full speed ahead, her body flew backwards from the impact of Cosmo’s eager arms squeezing her tight.

She giggled as her heart couldn’t help but fill with love from his endless amounts of kisses to her cheek; he really loved him some Wanda. “Nice to see you too, Cosmo.”

“Wanda!” Cosmo cheered, crossing his fingers together as he held her just below her wings. “I missed you so much!”

“We just saw each other four hours ago.”

“But that’s four hours too long!”

The sight of a familiar fairy with marmalade hair caught Thornton’s attention, and when her teal eyes met his tangerine, their expressions turned to that of surprise as they flew over to greet each other with friendly arms.

“Rose!” Thornton lifted her in the air with his arms wrapped tight around her, Rose chuckling in response. “Wussup, girl!”

“Oh my gosh, Thornton!” Rose tightened her hold around his shoulders as he set her back down. Her eyes held his gratified gaze in the presence of her favorite person. “Wussuuuuuuuup!”

“Pause.” Susie interjected, Rose and Thornton breaking apart. “Y’all know each other?!”

“Oh, we know each other alright.” said Rose. “We were best friends at Spellman!”

“We used to get into all _kinds_ of trouble!” Thornton bragged. “Teachers had to separate us in classes cuz they _hated_ when we sat together!”

“Well dang, small world.” Spike lightly smiled, folding his arms.

“So, does that mean you’re a Wand Engineering major like Spike and Thornton?” Cosmo questioned curiously.

“Actually, no.” Rose politely replied. “I like math and science, but not to that extent.”

“She’s going into Godparenting like us and Susie.” Wanda told her boyfriend, gently holding his hand.

Cosmo gleamed with glee. “Cooooooooooooooooooool!”

“Well, well.” Susie smirked. “Looks like Spike and Thornton are the techy nerds of the bunch.”

Thornton scoffed. “At least we didn’t major in glorified babysitting.”

With that, the group erupted in harmless laughter, thus marking the beginning of their long-lasting friendship.

And the first day of the rest of their lives.


	3. Chapter 3

****2 MONTHS LATER****

Blonda propped her head against her arm over her desk. She was supposed to be taking lecture notes, but, of course, she gave merely half of her attention. The other half was spent fantasizing over the slice of sexy pie near the projector, explaining the text from his lecture.

Before her mother's passing, she was set to major in Dramatic Arts in the College of Fairy TV and Film. For a while, she had lost the spark for acting. Not only was it her dream, it was also her mother's dream for her daughter to be the star she knew her to be. Blonda didn't know if she could continue acting without her, and with her father no longer as invested as he used to be, she began to doubt if she'd ever make it in the business.

However, over the course of two months, her passion for pursing an acting career in Fairywood had been revived in more ways than one. All it took was someone to believe in her more than she believed in herself, someone to push her in a motivating way, someone to show her that she was special and could do anything she set her mind to.

That someone was currently teaching his lecture on the virtuosic skill of theatre.

Sure, it's not uncommon for professors or any educator to believe in their students and to sometimes be their student's biggest cheerleader. But out of all her professors, Cardician was the only one to outwardly show his support. He'd reward her with high marks, something she thought only her sister Wanda could achieve. He'd showcase her as the 'example' of the class, labeling her as someone other students should aspire to be. She never had a teacher give her this much praise besides Mrs. Ravenclaw, but getting praised in a high school Drama Club isn't even on the same level as collegiate acting.

She didn't like Professor Cardician just for the shower of attention and praises he gave her…

She loved him for so much more.

"Alright, guys and gals." Professor Cardician turned off his PowerPoint presentation from the projector. "That's gonna be all for today. Don't forget to read chapter twelve of your 'Studying Theatre' textbook as that's going to be key in your participation for the next lecture."

Students started to gather their belongings as Professor Cardician kept his blue eyes on the girl with flaxen curls. "Blonda." He called out, waiting for her to acknowledge him. "Can you…come see me in my office, please?"

Throwing her backpack over her shoulders, Ruby arched a brow as she turned to her friend beside her. "What do you think he wants?"

"Probably wants to talk to me about the homework I forgot to turn in." Blonda concluded, giving her friend a reassuring smile in the hopes to not look too suspicious. "I'll meet you girls and Cupid at the student union later, okay?"

"Sure." Ruby accepted, a hint of doubt in her tone. "See you."

While Ruby followed the other students out the classroom, Blonda noticed Professor Cardician noticing her, smiling as his amorous eyes greeted her back.

He was well aware of what they both craved.

Standing with her back against the wall, Blonda casually waited by the steel door with the words "Professor Cardician" labeled across the name plate, checking out her need for a new manicure. She didn't have to wait long, because he soon turned the corner of the building to float down the hall. Twirling a curl with her finger, Blonda's eyes admired the slick of his black comb back, the beige of his skin, the ocean pool of his eyes, the chisel of his jaw, the thick of his lips, the protrusion of every angle of muscle profound through the tight of his white dress shirt, the bulge in the fly of his khaki slacks as sure indication of a particular 'package.'

She admired every inch of the man she couldn't get enough of.

Reaching the door, Professor Cardician used his key to unlock it, his pearly whites curled in a side smile as he locked eyes with her. Her heart fluttered, waiting patiently for him to twist the knob open. He held the door for her as she swayed her hips upon her entry, making sure he was watching which he definitely was. He looked to the left and right of his door to ensure no one else was around before flying into the room, Blonda setting her backpack on the couch as he closed the door and locked it from behind.

Now that they were alone…

Professor Cardician kept his eyes on the prize, hovering over to where she was just mere feet away. She allowed him to take her by the hand and pull her close, the wedge between their bodies immediately closed. His hand held the small of her back while the other delicately lined her cheek, feeling the beat of her heart pounding against his. He wanted nothing more than to just shed her of her clothes right then and there, but he knew he'd have to take his time with this, something he learned turned her on more.

Her hands pressed against the robust of his pec, the gap between their lips soon shortened, absorbing his whole essence just in a simple kiss. A simple kiss became multiple exchanges of passion as his hands began to roam the curve of her physique. She allowed him to position her where her back met the olive paint of the wall next to the door, her hands traveling freely over every inch of his surface. Logical thoughts escaped her, only controlled by the bodily senses of her longing for him, and as far as Professor Cardician…well, let's just say he was thinking with the 'other' head.

One hand just above her hip, the other hand found its way to the center of her chest, fondling her breast in a circular motion. The soft of his lips found the nape of her neck, his light yet forceful love bites causing erotic moans in each of her breaths.

Professor Cardician broke their string of kisses with a gentle finger pressed against her lips. "Shhhhhhhhh." He spoke, sensual in his low voice. "We have to keep it down, remember?"

Catching her breath, Blonda peered into his eyes, reminded that his walls weren't extremely sound proof. "I'm sorry…"

"It's okay." He graced her lips with another soft kiss. "Just means I'm doing something right…"

She smiled in his kiss, her fingers tracing from his pecks down the rack of abs to the bottom where she began to unbutton his shirt as their tongues wrestled. He stroked her hips and around the plump of her backside, drawing her pelvis closer to his bulge.

His fingers slipped underneath her dress…

**. . . . . .**

Attempting to tame the mess that was her loose strands, Blonda combed through her hair with her fingers in the view of her compact mirror. Out of all of the men she had ever slept with, Professor Cardician certainly took first place. She felt as if she ran a whole marathon at the end of their 'private lesson.' Definitely looked it, too, so she had to try and make herself look presentable. She wouldn't hear the end of it if her friends knew.

Following behind a few students into the Student Union, Blonda flew passed the bookstore to the food court area where she spotted Cupid and the Gemstone triplets sitting and socializing at a round table, talking about whatever mundane subject they came up with.

"And when he wears those tight shirts, oh my _gosh_ his muscles are just so gorgeous!" Cupid gushed, referring to his Psyche 101 professor. "Paying attention in his class is like an odd number; I just can't even!"

"Do you _always_ fantasize over your teachers?" Amethyst asked, though it was more of a joke.

Cupid responded with teasing eyes. "Only when they're hot."

"Who's hot?"

The occupants of the table turned to the familiar voice, watching Blonda take a seat next to Ruby as Amethyst casually replied "Just Cupid drooling over his professor again."

While Blonda set her mini backpack on the ground next to her, Ruby noticed a round reddish circle just above Blonda's collarbone. "Um…where'd that hickey come from?"

"Hickey?" Blonda acted confused. "What're you talking about?"

"Also, girl," Sapphire motioned to the pink strip of fabric around Blonda's shoulder. "your bra strap is showing."

Slightly embarrassed, Blonda quickly fixed her strap, tucking it back under the cropped sleeve of her dress as if to hide evidence of adultery.

" _Guuurrrrlll_!" Cupid squealed, reading the nervousness in Blonda's expression like a book. "You been getting' yo back cracked?!"

"What?! No!" Blonda snorted. "I don't even know what that means!"

"Girl, don't play dumb." Amethyst scoffed, aware that Blonda was definitely lying. "Just admit it; you been gettin' some!"

"Uck, you are _soooooo_ lucky." Cupid sighed dramatically, setting his chin in his palm. "Meanwhile, it's dryer than the Sahara over here."

Sapphire gave Cupid a perplexed expression. "But…where would it even go?"

"…Honey, do you _need_ an anatomy lesson?"

"Okay, can we _please_ change the subject?!" Blonda interjected, wanting nothing more than to _not_ talk about…that. "I'd _much_ rather talk about something else…"

"Oh, c'mon!" Amethyst whined. "You _always_ talk about your sex life!"

"Yeah." Ruby agreed, arching a brow. "Even when we don't wanna hear it."

Blond huffed, folding her arms. "Well, I don't plan on sharing those details of my life again _any_ time soon!"

"Fine, then." Sapphire said lightheartedly. "Be that way."

Everyone around her seemed to think that this was okay, like this was just out of some harmless fun. But while they giggled and laughed from their banter, Blonda remained silent. Blonda didn't find any of it funny; her life…wasn't a joke.

* * *

With her knees held to her chest, Blonda sat on her lilac duvet, alone to sort through the jumbled thoughts of her mind.

According to both the student and faculty handbooks, relationships between a staff member and a student are strictly prohibited. Not only is it deemed inappropriate, it creates conflict of interest. Would a student stay in a relationship with a professor who was failing them? Wouldn't the professor start to lose respect amongst their students if there seemed to be favoritism within the class? There was also the treat of sexual harassment charges, more so when the professor is male.

Inappropriate relationships between students and faculty can result in serious consequences for the faculty member more than the student. They could face termination of employment, and this branded curse can lead to the suicide of their career, while the student, at the most, can face some kind of slap on the wrist and a pretty horrible reputation among other students and professors.

With all of that in mind, Blonda knew what she got herself into. She didn't care, though; he'd shown a type of affection she'd never experienced before outside of family. When they were intimate, he was aggressive yet respectful. He complimented her, he longed for her and her only. He made her feel special, and he filled her cold heart with a warmth she hadn't felt in the longest time.

Why give that up?

Hearing her phone ring from her desk, she reached over to grab it. Seeing her father on the caller ID, she let out a groan and pressed the button to ignored the call. She didn't think she'd ever feel this way, but she wanted absolutely nothing to do with him…

The immediate callback didn't leave her with much of a say.

Reluctantly, she pressed the answer button, placing the phone to her ear. "…Hello?"

"Blonda…che diavolo?!" she heard Big Daddy gripe on the other line. "…why you ignorin' my call?!"

"Daddy, I'm busy. Y'know…with school?" Blonda couldn't hide the agitation in her voice. He had absolutely no involvement in her life for months. What could he possibly want now?

"You can at least give ya ol' man a call e'vry once inna while…" Big Daddy grumbled.

Blonda shook her head in annoyance. He could be such a big baby sometimes. "So, why are you calling?"

At first, she wanted to hang up just from the silence of the other line, but what she heard next made her heart sink.

"…I-I miss you."

Regret spread across her face, hearing the subtle crack in his voice. "Daddy…"

"I…I-I'm alla 'lone 'ere…" Big Daddy was usually one tough cookie, yet she could tell he was struggling to hide his emotions judging by the multiple pauses between his stuttering words. "…now that…y-you not here no mores, I…i-it makes me wish…she was still here…"

Blonda remained silent…being reminded of her mother was the _very_ last thing she wanted to hear. Especially coming from him.

"…y-you remind me…so much of her…" he continued, his speech slowly dripping in slur. "…a-and I just…I miss 'er…"

The regret she felt slowly turned to speculation. "…Daddy, have you been drinking again?"

"W…w-why doessit mattah?"

Whelp, that answered her question.

"Daddy…" Blonda couldn't stand when her father got inebriated; the alcohol would always turn his rigid facade into an emotionally unhinged mess of a man. "…I-I have to go-"

"No! D-don't hang up…" Big Daddy begged, tears swelling in his daughter's eyes. "…y…y-you're the last connection I have…t-to her…"

"Daddy, I can't-"

"You wouldn't say dat to ya motha!" Big Daddy quickly countered, the rise in his voice indicating the rise of his anger. "Y-you wouldn't just stop talkin' to 'er if tha tables were turned!"

…Okay but that doesn't negate all the times he'd put work over his own daughter! He didn't see her complaining about how he'd leave alone for hours on end, and when he _was_ around, he'd be passed out on the couch because he'd already be halfway through a bottle of bourbon! When was the last time he had a decent conversation with her?! This one certainly didn't count…she had the inkling he was so drunk he wouldn't remember calling her saying all of this nonsense anyhow! So what was the point?

Unable to stop her tears, Blonda tried to keep her lip from trembling. "I gotta go."

"Blonda don't chu dar-"

Silence rang in her ears, and her silent tears dampened her cheeks.

**. . . . . .**

Everstone light posts lit the lawns of the campus, providing artificial light against the dark clouds. The cool autumn breeze blew a breath of fresh air, dancing through auburn leaves. Grass grew damp in the soft showers of the night sky, the tears of the universe masking the tears running her mascara.

Blonda floated absently along the stone paths, no real destination in mind. Despite her curls potentially damaged by the sprinkling of rain, she paid no mind. It was normally quiet around campus this time of night during the week, and staying in her room just wasn't possible at the moment. Part of her wished she had joined Cupid and the girls for drinks; they even begged her to go, thinking it could 'loosen her up.' However, she was in no mood to be social to begin with, and after that phone call, the last thing she wanted to do was have a total meltdown in public.

Traveling down the path next to the stone amphitheater, her eyes caught sight of a familiar figure sitting on one of the steps. A jolt of anxiety shook her when she to realize who the lone figure was, slumped over with his face hidden in his arms crossed over his knees.

Blonda hadn't spoken to Juandissimo since the night he basically walked out of her life; there paths never overlapped until now. The angel version of herself told her to walk away, to leave him be and just continue pretending he didn't exist. Judging by the fact he sat alone seemingly unbothered by the rain, he was fighting his own demons. Then again, the devil version of herself persuaded her to go unleash all the pent-up frustrations towards him that she always wanted to express, make him realize just how much he hurt her. Just because he had demons, doesn't mean he could throw her away like her feelings didn't matter!

…I assume you know which conscious she listened to.

Wiping her mascara from her cheeks, she floated over to where she hovered in front of him. She had to get his attention…he wouldn't dare ignore her. "Juandissimo." She announced, eyes stern in resentment. "I got a bone to pick with you."

He didn't move, not one fidget.

"…So you're just going to pretend I'm not here after _using_ me for your own sexual pleasure?!"

That seemed to get his attention, Juandissimo lifting his head to meet the fuchsia orbs glaring back at him, seemingly unfazed. "…the whole thing was your idea."

"But I never forced you to agree to it!" Blonda countered, more upset by his nonchalant behavior than by his words. "You made up your own mind on that."

"I came to you multiple times asking to stop, and you did not want to listen." Juandissimo reminded, his tone oddly calm yet combative. "You practically begged me not to stop, so I did it for your sake."

"So this is _my_ fault?!" The little patience Blonda had was beginning to wear thin. "You think I _wanted_ you to end up tossing me aside like I meant _nothing_?!"

Water droplets around them grew larger, the pitter patter of rain increasing as Juandissimo's cynical expression showed no mercy. "It would not be the first time you confused sex for self-worth…"

Her soul felt the sharp pang of shots fired.

With her mother gone, her father virtually absent, and a string of deadbeat guys, she didn't want to acknowledge that her self-esteem only existed because it was linked to how other people perceived her. The emptiness in her soul pondered what it was missing, and though she liked the act, it wasn't even about the physicality of sex; it's about how the most interconnection with another fairy made her feel _something_ , something more about herself.

Without it, she knew she'd slowly become a shell of the person she thought she was.

For the person she thought understood this most to use it as a weapon against her…she never felt so betrayed in her life.

Unable to bear the sight of him much longer, she balled her fists to keep from crying. "…Your dead mother…" she gritted her teeth in bitterness. "…would be _so_ disappointed at the straight _bastard_ you've become!"

He showed no emotion as he watched as she ran off into the rain, unbenounced to her that he had his own storm brewing inside.

* * *

_He clutched her throat with his bear grip. She begged and pleaded for her life, flailing her legs in attempts to break free._

{…no…}

_Ignoring her cries, he slapped her once more, lifting himself from on top of her as she writhed on the floor in pain._

{…why is this happening…}

 _"Mi estúpida esposa ..."_ _[ **My stupid wife…** ]_ _He spat, using his magic to turn his wand into a butcher knife, fuming in rage._ " _… ¡Sólo hay una forma en que NUNCA me dejarás!"_ _[ **…There is only one way you will EVER leave me!** ]_

{…no…stop…}

_She shrieked as he yanked her by the hair. She scratched at his fingers around her hair, tears flowing rivers down her face. He wanted to move, he wanted to stop him, yet he was paralyzed in fear._

{…stop this…}

_He panicked as the cold of a metal blade pushed against his mother's larynx, petrified by the fear wide in her lavender eyes…_

_She needed him, yet he was too scared to save her._

_His mother's throat split apart-_

{… mamá NO!}

Juandissimo sprung up in his bed, the loud ringing on his desk jerking him awake. His breathing labored from the sense of constriction in his chest, he placed a hand to feel the racing of his heart, forcing deep inhales and exhales to calm himself.

With assignments, papers, projects, exams, and midterms forming a menacing cloud over his head, all he wanted to do was rest his eyes for a few minutes before going to the gym to relieve some of that stress. Falling asleep to the same horrific nightmare that plagued him for months wasn't exactly what he envisioned…

Gaining his bearings, he looked over to his vibrating phone, recognizing the caller ID, and he exhaled an unsteady breath before reaching to answering the call.

"Juandissimo?" Juanita spoke on the line, sensing the fatigue in his voice. "¿Estás bien?"

"Si..." he lied in response, his eyes adjusting to the late afternoon shining into the room. "I am fine."

"…you are not lying, are you?"

"No."

"…are you sure?"

"Mhmm."

Juanita didn't like the mono in his tone. "Is there a reason you are being so short with me?"

"…What do you mean?"

"You have been talking less and less lately." Juanita sadly expressed. She wasn't accustomed to not hearing from her brother for long periods of time. "I am getting worried…"

He let out a groan; she always had the tendency to worry too much Then again, if she knew about his returning flashbacks, he wouldn't blame her. "College does not exactly leave me with a lot of free time."

"Yet I have heard more from Alewandro in three days than I have from you in three weeks." Juanita bluntly pointed out. "So, what is the real excuse?"

He understood her impatience, but she wouldn't understand why he started keeping her at arm's length. And it wasn't just her; it was everyone around him. He knew she'd just tell him he wasn't alone…yet lately, he felt more alone than ever. The voices in his head constantly remind him that his problems were his and his problems only…there was no use bringing other people down in the depths with him.

But instead of explaining all of that, Juandissimo merely said "I have to go." And before Juanita could object, his phone hung up.

**. . . . . .**

Running his fingers through his slicked hair, Alewandro styled his hair in his handheld mirror, talking with Susie on speaker phone.

"And _theeeennnn,_ " Susie continued in another one of her longwinded stories. "Professor Awish goes, 'Well, that's not in the book, but that's a good rule to live by!' and then Cosmo goes 'Actually, I was talking to the creepy clown who took my wallet!' And there's literally this creepy clown that came out of nowhere, standing there with Cosmo's wallet, and Professor Awish is just like 'what in the entirety of hell?!'" Susie's hyenas cackle brought a smile on Alewandro's face. "I never laughed so hard in my life!"

"Definitely sounds like one of those 'you had to be there' moments." Alewandro commented, grabbing his citrus cologne.

"It was! Had me _weak_!"

Alewandro heard the door unlock as Juandissimo entered the room, tossing his gym bag next to his bed before shutting the door. Judging by what he saw from briefly looking over his shoulder to his brother, the somber in his eyes told him he must still be in one of his moods.

"Hey, Susie?" Alewandro took his phone off speaker out of curtesy, holding it against his ear. "I am almost ready, so I will meet you at your dorm so that we can all head over to the party together."

Sitting on his bed to take off his sneakers, Juandissimo overheard his brother exchange their 'I love yous' to each other, making him want to gag. He noticed how much more time Alewandro spent with his girlfriend and her friends than his own brother, though in Juandissimo's case, it was probably for the better. He assumed his feelings probably mattered little to Alewandro anyway.

After ending the call, Alewandro tucked his phone in the back of his black skinny jeans and spritzed himself in a few sprays of cologne, turning to acknowledge his brother. "You know," he began, keeping his tone polite. "you can still change your mind about not going to the Blacklight Party."

Juandissimo lifted his eyes in a blank stare. "Why?"

"Because." Alewandro shrugged, moving in closer. "Everyone is stressed out about midterm, and this could be the stress relief everyone needs. You know…have a little fun."

"…I literally just got back from the gym."

"…so, you can take a shower." Alewandro remarked. "It is not like you do not have time; the party technically started an hour ago."

Juandissimo stood to remove his muscle shirt, tossing it in his laundry basket. "I will pass."

"Why?"

"Is Wanda going?"

Alewandro stared as if his question was hypothetical. "…All of Susie's friends are going."

"Exactly." Juandissimo spoke matter-of-factly, hovering to his drawer to get his night clothes. "I want no part in seeing her with that puta."

Juandissimo apparently had no issue throwing shade towards Cosmo and Wanda's courtship, and frankly, it was starting to wear down on Alewandro's patience. "Why do you keep acting like this?!"

"Acting like what?!"

Alewandro opened his mouth to refute just to shut it just a quick; grunting in frustration instead. Now was not the time to argue. "Forget it…"

He snatched his wallet and room keys from his desk, putting them on his person, feeling Juandissimo's glare, yet he didn't bother to look at him. "Do not worry about waiting up for me." Alewandro advised, keeping his cool. "Susie's roommate went home for the weekend, so I will be spending the night with her."

Saying nothing more, Alewandro flew passed his brother, not looking back as he exited the room. Juandissimo continued to stare towards the door, recognizing the rift that had grown between them.

They've had their fair share of falling outs over the years; all siblings have moments where they don't get along. This, however, felt precariously different. Kind of like a slow burn, gradually rising into larger and larger flames. They were both aware of this, and yet neither brother watered the fire because they believed it was the other's fault for lighting the match.

If they weren't careful, it'd only be a matter of time before their relationship is charred beyond repair.

* * *

Juandissimo resided in the library the next morning, catching up on assignments with upcoming due dates. There were other students doing the same, either working on homework or studying for midterms. He found a vacant table in the public study area; students could talk freely in this part of the library as long as they used inside voices. Headphones playing Reggaeton to keep him focused and to block out his surroundings, Juandissimo, of course, had no intentions of talking to anyone.

Though, that didn't stop anyone from talking to him.

"Excuse me, fine fellow!"

_…the hell?_

Wondering why anyone would bother him, Juandissimo looked up to see who it was. He saw a slim blush-pink fairy, lips curved in an alluring smile, batting his big blue eyes sending instant regret in Juandissimo's decision to come to a public library. "…can I help you?"

"Oh, that you can." Cupid smirked with a suggestive bite of his lip. "I just _have_ to ask you something."

"…O-okay." Juandissimo tread the waters cautiously. "…what is it?"

"Are you a time traveler?"

"…come again?"

"I _saaaaaiiiid_ …are you a time traveler?" Cupid sensually repeated, twirling a strand of hair. His hand gently brushed Juandissimo's, causing Juandissimo to jerk back in reaction. "Because I can _totally_ see you in my future!"

Where are the cameras; clearly, he was being punked.

Juandissimo pressed his palm to his face before taking a deep breath, hoping he wouldn't come off as terribly rude. "Listen…I hate to break it to you, pero…I have no romantic interest in fairies with the same body parts as mine."

Cupid gawked with a delicate hand over his chest, pretending to be offended. "That's the most creative hetero rejection I've ever heard in my _lyyyyye-_ fah! Like, serious; how'd you come up with that?!"

Rolling his eyes, Juandissimo attempted to go back to his homework. He just wanted to be left alone.

"I'm Cupid, by the way!" He introduced himself, completely unbothered by Juandissimo's sour expression. "What's your name?!"

With a heavy sigh, he lifted his dull gaze to the blush-pink tonto, wishing he'd just go away. "…Juandissimo."

"Oooo that's ca- _yuuuuuuuute_!" Cupid squealed while Juandissimo's expression was less than enthused. He pointed to the vacant seat directly across from his 'new buddy.' "This seat taken?"

 _I wish…"_ No. Why?"

Cupid couldn't help but widen his smile "Can I sit?"

"Only if you agree to be quiet and leave me be." Juandissimo negotiated, thinking maybe they could get what they both wanted that way.

"I can do that!" Cupid delightfully took a seat, setting his backpack a top the table. "I have my own homework, anyway."

Whether or not that was true, Juandissimo could care less. Adjusting his headphones back over his ears, he turned his attention back to the textbook and opened binder in front of him. Cupid retrieved his workbook and proceeded to scribble notes inside, seemingly content with keeping his mouth shut…

…which lasted all of ten seconds.

"Sooo, how are we feeling this morning?!"

"What happened to being quiet?!" Juandissimo griped, meeting Cupid's silly gleam with a creased brow.

"Awkward silence is just so awkward!" Cupid complained melodramatically. "Plus, it's soooooo boring!"

"…what about your homework?"

"You mean the homework I made up to get you to let me stay? Yeah, that was a lie." A cheesy grin spread through his cheeks. "Sorry not sorry about it."

Agitated, Juandissimo sprung from his seat, bundling his belongings together. "I do not have time for this-"

"No no no no wait wait wait!" Cupid swiftly gripped Juandissimo's wrist, preventing him from leaving. "I'll be quiet." Cupid innocently assured, maintaining eye contact to prove he was serious. "I swear."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

He slit his eyes, hesitant to trust him. Why did he not want him to leave? What could he possibly want from him? Nothing made sense.

Whoever he was, he obviously wasn't going to go away anytime soon…

**. . . . . .**

Having no desire to go straight back to his room, Juandissimo floated wondrously with his headphones drowning out the sounds of nature. Eyes casted down to the stone path below, he traveled with his hands in his coat pockets, caught in the whirlwind of his never-ending thoughts.

Whether he was struggling to sleep or wide awake, the same horrifying visions haunted him. Some days he could power through and function like normal, though some days were a lot harder than others. He was so tired of fighting…Sometimes he wished his brain was like a switch he could turn on and off whenever he pleased.

He wished his mind could just…fade to black.

Void of all thoughts, void of all memories, void of all voices, void of all nightmares…

Just void of life all togeth-

His train of thought was interrupted by a physical force bumping into him.

"Oh…I-I'm sorry." the familiar voice said, him soon recognizing her swirly pink hair. "I didn't see you…"

Rosette orbs met his, freezing him in place. It's not the first time he's seen her, but was the first time she had acknowledged him in what seemed like ages. She appeared to have difficulty maintaining eye contact with him, and he struggled to find any words to say.

What could he say?

She was there in his darkest hour when she didn't have to be, and she brought out the best in him. He did so much for her in return, hoping to show just how special she was. She taught him what it meant to care so much about someone, and she reminded him what it felt like to mean so much to someone else…

She was his breath of fresh air.

…yet she left him to drown.

And ever since then, he felt he could no longer breathe.

He knew nothing he could say will bring her back, nothing they could both say can re-write the past. She didn't want him anymore…no longer his remolina rosa.

Concluding there was no point in sticking around, he quietly flew passed her.

"Juandissimo, wait."

Stopping mid-flight, Juandissimo hesitated to face her. What could she possibly have to say to him?

"…how've you been?"

Why would she care? Why _did_ she care?

Inhaling his nerves before breathing them out, he begrudgingly turned around, meeting her worried gaze. His heart cracked at the sight, cursing himself because he secretly still cared about her.

"…my well-being is no longer your concern…" he spoke, barely audible, before his wounded eyes became that of a warrior. "…just as your well-being is no longer a concern of mine."

Pained by the coldness of his words, Wanda watched as he flew away, suddenly filled with the sting of shame she wasn't sure she truly deserved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to try having 'character centric' chapters, so this one primarily focuses on Blonda and Juandissimo. Wanda and Cosmo will obviously be the primary focus in the next chapter for all the fellow C-dub fans out there.  
> Now...Blonda having a relationship with her teacher actually wasn't the original direction I wanted to go with her character. But...I figured...that sounds like something she'd do, so why not!  
> Also, for any CupidxJuandissimo fans...I'm sorry, this ain't it sis. Trust me, I've read some amaaaaaaaazing CuxJ fics on this site; however comma, me, myself, and I cannot physically see them as a couple. I see them more as friends, soooo, uh, eeyup.


	4. Chapter 4

Wanda stared at her ceiling, lying flat on her bed. She knew she needed to study, but upon her return to her room from getting a quick lunch, her mind fixated on her sudden interaction with her ex.

She did notice him in a few of their shared classes, noting his anti-social behavior. She would have asked Alewandro about it, but it really wasn't her business. His eyes never seemed so cold to her, though it made her wonder why she'd think the outcome of their first interaction in months would be any different.

He promised never to break her heart, and yet she turned around and broke his, leaving him a sobbing mess to go lock lips with his rival. Anyone with common sense knew it was better for both of them to call it quits when she did. The longer she would have stayed, the harder and more devastating it would have been, and neither of them deserved to stay in a relationship she wasn't supposed to be in.

Her heart belonged to Cosmo…

…so why would she be bothered by Juandissimo pushing her away?

She guessed, in a way, she missed the other type of relationship they had; friendship. Granted, the only reason she even had a friendship with Juandissimo was because of her breakup with Cosmo, but even she had to admit he was good company.

"Hey Wanda!"

Wanda sat up to see Rose entering the room, mustering a smile. "Hey Rose…"

"…you good?"

"Uh, yeah." Wanda distractedly replied, not wanting to burden her roommate with her irrelevant problems. "I'm good."

Less than convinced, Rose went over to Wanda, pulling her by the hand. "Go for a walk with me!"

"But we both just got back!" Wanda protested. "Plus, I have to study!"

"You literally have the _whole_ weekend to study!" Rose reminded, not taking 'no' for an answer. "C'mon! You can spare 30 minutes at least!"

Ceasing to resist, she let Rose drag her from the bed, waiting for her to let go of her hand before she muttered "I don't have much of a choice, do I?"

Her question was answered with a cheeky smile. "Nope."

"…I guess that's that on that, then."

Floating over to the door, Rose waited for Wanda to get her room keys before she opened the door, letting Wanda reluctantly fly out first.

**. . . . . .**

On the farthest end of campus, there was a separate walking trail though what was known as 'The Enchanted Forest'; it was a separate field of land covered with multiple trails surrounded by walls of trees and shrubs of flowers, almost like a mystical maze. Students would frequent these woods for ethical and non-ethical reasons (like, indulging in other 'herbal' substances,) but for students like Rose and Wanda, they can walk the trails and get lost in the therapeutic scenery.

The evergreen leaves of the aging forest casted shadows against the mid-morning sun, tiny glimmers of sunlight peeking through shaded glades. Hovering alongside, Rose glanced at Wanda hugging herself as she floated silently, clearly thinking about something.

In two months of living with Wanda, she quickly learned her tendencies…like how she acts when something's bothering her that she doesn't feel like she can share. Wanda would internalize a lot, reverting to quiet mental battles with herself. She had the feeling Wanda wasn't always encouraged to express herself based on how she tended to bottle any negative emotion or any worrying thoughts. Cosmo and Susie usually managed to drag it out of her, and after living with her for this long, Rose wanted Wanda to feel as if she could open up to her, too.

"So…" Rose broke the ice, striking a conversation. "…why were you talking to that guy earlier?"

Hearing such a random question over her thoughts, Wanda turned to Rose quizzically. "What guy?"

"That guy our Human Child Psychology class." Rose specified, remembering the familiar Hispanic fairy with blue-violet eyes. "…Juandissimo, is it?"

"…How did you-"

"I happened to notice you two talking when I was coming from Spike and Cosmo's room." Rose answered casually. "I was far way, but I could still recognize him."

"Wait." Wanda caught a peculiar part of her sentence that made her want to question. "What were you doing in Spike and Cosmo's room?"

"Uh, don't change the subject." Rose defensively laughed, placing the focus back on Wanda. "This is about you right now."

Wanda sighed. Rose was quite the persistent little flower. "Fine…" her brow scrunched in hesitation, veering her eyes to her combat boots before lifting them back to Rose. "Juandissimo is my ex-boyfriend…"

Rose gawked. "Seriously?! He's your ex?!"

"…yes?" Wanda wasn't sure why she was so shocked. "Is that _really_ that hard to believe?"

"Uh…yeah?!" Rose admitted, wondering how this subject never came up before. "The way you and Cosmo act around each other, I just assumed you two never dated anyone else."

"Oh…" In that case, Wanda could understand how one may make that assumption. "…well, it's a really long story."

"I can settle for the short version." Rose encouraged, not wanting Wanda to feel obligated in sharing more than she was comfortable with.

Wanda hesitated momentarily, finding the right words to explain. "Basically…there was a time where Cosmo and I were forced to break up, and Juandissimo was there to pick up the pieces. But…when I realized I still loved Cosmo, I was still in a relationship with Juandissimo, so I broke up with him to get back with Cosmo." She lowered her gaze, all of the dark and terrible memories flooding back at once. "…I feel a bit guilty because…I dunno…it feels like I cheated him..."

"Let me ask you this." Rose probed after listening intently. "If you had to make that same choice all over again, would you do it?"

"Of course." Wanda replied confidently. "I'd do it three times over if I had to."

"Then you shouldn't feel guilty for following your heart."

Taking her words into consideration, Wanda knew Rose was right. The heart wants what the heart wants, and we should always listen to our intuition; trusting intuition is the ultimate trust in self. We don't have to think about what's not right for us…we just feel it.

Throughout her relationship with Juandissimo, her mind would periodically revert back to Cosmo and she'd have to force herself not to stay in that train of thought. When Cosmo was in the hospital, she wished she could trade places with him so he wouldn't have to suffer. And when Cosmo told her she was what he still had to live for, her heart fluttered with joy, secretly glad that the Cosmo she loved didn't die despite getting beaten to hell and back.

It still sucked how Juandissimo's feelings were sacrificed in the end, but at the end of the day…

Cosmo was who her heart was destined to love.

* * *

Susie applied a coat of deep crimson red polish on Rose's nails, both engaged in girl chat on Susie's bed. On the farthest end of the bed, Wanda sent a reply to Cosmo's text telling her the time he was expected to take his break.

One would be surprised that neither Wanda nor Cosmo grew tired of the other; if they weren't with Susie or Spike respectively, or with both at the same time, they were together the entire summer. Watching movies, going out to eat, cuddling on the couch, on the bed… _in_ the bed, under the covers...There wasn't a day where the sun rose and set without them enjoying each other's company.

Now with the obligations of school and Cosmo increasingly working more hours, there quality time together has gotten quite limited. Aside from class, study sessions, and grabbing a bite to eat every now and then, there wasn't much 'Cosmanda' time. So, Cosmo wanted to see Wanda every chance he got, even if it was just during fifteen minutes breaks or an hour lunch.

"Hey Susie, would you and Alewandro mind giving me a ride to the Diner?" she asked, though she'd probably get there faster if she felt like just poofing herself over. "Cosmo wants me to meet him on his break."

"Of course, we wouldn't mind." Susie smirked, dipping the paint brush in the bottle for more polish as Rose admired the job done so far. "It's on the way to where we're going for our date anyways, though, Alewandro still hasn't told me exactly where we're going."

"No?" Wanda inquired. "Why not?"

"Says it's a 'surprise' for our one-year anniversary." Susie answered, realizing just how a year with Alewandro felt like a lifetime. "And I can't guess where it is because he gives terrible hints on purpose so that I wouldn't."

"Well, _obvious_ ly it's somewhere hella romantic." Rose added. "I wouldn't put it past him; both of you managed to find such great guys."

Susie chuckled. "You think so?"

"That's what it looks like to me." Rose remarked, holding her hand for Susie to continue painting. "Compared to my parents, it seems like you and your boyfriends _never_ argue. I can't remember the last time my parents showed any kind of affection towards each other..." her teal eyes shifted down to her nails, recalling what it was like growing up in a divided household. "Half the time, they argued like dogs, and the other half of the time, they pretend the other didn't exist."

"Oh wow." Susie breathed, not expecting Rose to admit something so personal. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."

"No big deal." Rose shrugged. "Though they decided to wait until their youngest, i.e. me, was grown and out of the house before they finally got a divorce…"

"Why would they stay together all that time?" Wanda genuinely asked.

"They're sticklers for appearances." Rose explained.

"But it's worse to stay in a toxic marriage just for keep sake." Wanda commented.

"Trust me, I know." Rose concurred. "But, that's why it makes me happy to see you and Susie with men that love you dearly. It shows me that true love still exists."

"I dunno how or why we got on this topic," Susie applied the last stoke of polish on the last naked nail. "But that's such an endearing thing to say, Rose!"

"And it's not like you won't experience that for yourself." Wanda added with a small smile. "One day, you'll find your own 'Prince Charming.'"

Rose scoffed. "The only way I'd ever experience that is if I continue to live vicariously through you two."

"Oh yeah?" Wanda teased. "Then what were you doing hanging out in Spike and Cosmo's room this morning, hmm? Considering…Spike was the only one in the room, that is."

"Oop." Susie gradually smiled slyly as Rose's cheeks gradually turned red. "What's that about, I wonder?"

"Really, Wanda?" Rose embarrassingly grinned. "You gonna do me like that?"

"Uh, don't change the subject." Wanda returned, smiling in delight as she motioned to her friend. "This is about you right now."

Rose's cheeks radiated red, much to her friends' humorous pleasure.

**. . . . . .**

Turning into the parking lot of Fairy World Diner, Alewandro drove the SUV as close to the entrance as possible, putting the car in park as Wanda set her backpack over her shoulders.

"Thanks for the ride, Wandro." Wanda thanked, opening the back-passenger door.

"No problemo." Alewandro assured, looking into the review mirror as Wanda closed the door.

Susie rolled down her window for Wanda to come over. "Text me when Cosmo clocks out so I can come get you guys when I can get my car."

"Okay."

Backing away closer to the entrance, Wanda waved 'goodbye' as Alewandro pulled off and merged onto the main road. She entered and spotted Cosmo out from the sea of servers and customers, trying his best not to spill the multiple plates on his arms at a full booth. She expected it to be busy on a Saturday afternoon; she'd be surprised if Cosmo had a chance for a break at all.

Finding a vacant barstool a few feet away from an older couple enjoying their milkshakes, Wanda took a seat and set her backpack on the counter, searching for her 'Da Rules' textbook. Her ability to study in loud and chaotic environments stemmed from childhood; while other students entertained themselves in mindless chatter and whatever games they made up, there were times where she'd be the only student working on her assignment, more so when the teacher wasn't in the room. Her ears were accustomed to tuning out excess noise enough for her to focus on the task at hand, so when it came to studying, crowds didn't really bother her.

Thornton come from the back kitchen, just having started his fifteen, and in spotting Wanda by the far end of the bar opening her textbook, he went over to give her a nice welcome. "Here for Cozzie boy, I recon?"

Wanda smirked, used to Thornton coming to talk to her on his breaks, even if it's just to say 'hi.' "Yep. Though I wonder if he's going to be able to take a break."

"Boss man's gonna make him one way or anotha'." Thornton commented. He then curiously pointed to Wanda's textbook as he propped himself with an arm over the counter. "You gonna study?"

Wanda nodded. "I'm pretty much gonna be here until Cosmo's shift is over. Not like I have anything else better to do."

Wanda felt two arms suddenly wrap around her waist and chin occupying her shoulder. "Break has officially begun!" Cosmo cheered, giving Wanda's cheek a few little smooches.

Thornton gave a warm smile as Cosmo started gently nibbling Wanda's ear, making her giggle. Cosmo's entire world lit up in the presence of his 'little beau.' "Don't think you gonna get much studying done if he can help it." He joked, sitting up from the bar.

"Hey, we should go out back." Cosmo sensually suggested in her ear, her arms holding his arms wrapped around her. "You know. For some aloooooone time."

She couldn't help but smile. "Alone time, huh?"

"Mhhmm" Cosmo blew a raspberry on her cheek, making her laugh.

"Geez," Thornton responded jokingly. "get a room you love birds."

Giving Thornton a sarcastic chuckle in response, Cosmo took Wanda's hand, and after she closed the textbook she apparently wasn't going to study and placed it back in her backpack, she let him take her towards the back exit.

Staying clear of the dumpster area, Cosmo made sure no one else was in the back before he gently propped Wanda's back against the wall. She watched him press on hand on one side of her to support his weight while he used the other thumb to caress just below her chin. He was caught in the trance of her beauty, leaning in subtly just inches from her strawberry lipstick, itching for a taste. She was caught in the trance of his amorous green eyes, his alluring smile waiting ever so patiently.

Giving them what they both wanted, she inched forward, giving him the greenlight to brush his lips to hers. He took his time, ensuring the sultry of one kiss lasted just as long as the other. His hands found their way back to just above her hips, drawing them closer to him, and in response, she circled her arms around his shoulders, using one hand to play with his green shag.

It didn't matter what she was going through or whether she didn't feel her best, because when she was with Cosmo, all worries vanished. His purity was the calm from the storm, her escape. Every chance they could get to see each other, even if just for a moment, lasted longer than any measurement of time.

Coming up for air, Cosmo pressed his forehead against Wanda's, admiring the captivating fuchsia of her eyes, and as her finger softly traced along his jawline, she smiled with a tender tone. "I love you…so much."

He wished they could stay in that very moment for the rest of forever "And I will always love your love."

* * *

Trying to keep himself afloat, Cosmo wearily made his way to his dorm room, fumbling through his pockets for his keys. Working overtime was wearing its tole, and that night's ten-hour shift just about took him out.

In just two months, Cosmo had maybe a week's worth of days off. Working this much wasn't as big of an issue during the summer since he had nothing else to worry about other than a social life. Working insane hours on top of school, however, has slowly but surely evaporated his energy into mere fumes.

With the help of good folk around him (Wanda especially,) he's surprisingly been able to keep up without falling too far behind in school. His professors were less than enthused whenever they'd catch him falling asleep or running into class twenty minutes late from oversleeping, but he tried his best not to let that happen too often.

All he had to do was survive just a couple more weeks…

Fall Break couldn't come fast enough.

Quietly creaking the door open in attempts to not disturb Spike, Cosmo entered the room, cautiously shutting the door to silence the squeaks. He covered his mouth as a huge yawn shook his body, anticipating the sweet relief of slumber, and he forced his wings to carry him to his bed. The only source of light in the room was that of shimmers from the light posts just outside their room, and even that provided as much light as a dim light candle.

Needless to say, Cosmo would not be Cosmo without somehow tripping over air.

With his foot accidently catching the strap of his backpack, Cosmo fell face first into the chair of his desk before hitting the ground, the rumble of supplies and the quaking of objects immediately jolting Spike from his sleep. Spike reached over to his desk to turn the knob to his lamp, rubbing his eyes to adjust as Cosmo rubbed his throbbing nose, waiting for the pain to subside.

"Dude…" Spike drowsily groaned, sitting up in bed as his eyes squinted to read the time on his alarm clock. "…it's almost three in the morning…"

Cosmo lifted himself from the ground, giving his backpack a kick of annoyance for standing in his way. "Sorry…"

"Your boss remembers you and Thornton are in school, right?" Spike sarcastically asked, knowing managers usually could care less about their employee's responsibilities outside of their job.

"He does…" Cosmo sighed, plopping in his bed on his stomach. "…but a lot of people have been calling in…and…" he let out another yawn, adjusting his head onto his pillow. "…I can use the extra money…"

"You're gonna be a zombie for class later on." Spike dully noted.

"Eh…" Cosmo mumbled, his eyes drooping in the weight of exhaustion. "…I can just drink coffee…"

"…but you hate coffee."

The conversation came to end once Cosmo's limbs fell limp and his eyelids fell, no longer in the fight against fatigue. Spike smiled softly as he shook his head, Cosmo's wings rising and sinking rhythmically in quiet snores. That poor, poor soul…

Getting his wand from his desk, Spike poofed Cosmo out of his uniform into his pajamas, using magic to drag the covers over. Once Cosmo was all tucked in, Spike put his wand back and reached to twist the lamp off before he rolled over in his own bed, going back to sleep.

**. . . . . .**

7:45am flashed red as the buzz of Cosmo's alarm caused Spike's groggy eyes to flutter open. Rolling over in his bed, he uttered a tired moan as he used his wand to shut it off. His first class of the day wasn't for another hour, but because he knew Cosmo would sleep through his alarm, he'd get up to make sure Cosmo didn't miss his 8:00am.

Getting out of bed, Spike scrubbed the crust from his eyes, floating over to shake Cosmo awake. "Aye, time to get up."

"Noooooooooooooo…." Cosmo groggily grumbled, turning to face the wall as he pulled the covers over his head. "Five more minutes…"

"Cosmo." Spike spoke firmly. "Get. Up."

"…Ion wanna…"

Turning to more drastic measures, Spike yanked the covers halfway off the bed, causing Cosmo to groan in protest. "Up and at 'em, sunshine!"

"Okay, fine!" Cosmo whined as he sat up to dangle his feet over the bed's edge. "Big meanie…"

Cosmo found his wand that had fallen on the ground from when he tripped, and too lazy to physically change, poofed into his day clothes.

"At least eat a mint if you're not gonna freshen up." Spike suggested as Cosmo reached for his backpack, knowing Cosmo would proudly walk into the world without so much as a teeth brush or a shower. Sometimes he felt more like Cosmo's parent than his roommate.

Cosmo then went over to the drawer under his desk where he kept any small snacks like gum and peppermints, and popped a mint in his mouth before he used his wand to reluctantly poof himself to class.

* * *

"There's lots of rules godparents cannot let their godchildren violate." Professor Grant Awish pressed his remote to a new slide of his Da Rules lecture. "So, in Chapter 16, we'll take a look at why godkids can't use magic to win a competition."

Sitting in the third row of the amphitheater classroom, Wanda flipped the page in her textbook, jotting down a few more notes from the previous slide. Cosmo sat beside her with his cheek in his palm propped on the desk, his eyes drooping and his head nodding, involuntarily dozing off. He couldn't risk falling asleep in class again, but his fogged mind felt so heavy he wasn't sure if he could resist much longer.

As if making that determination for him, he felt a tug at his arm, shaking him out of his daze. His half-lidded eyes could see Wanda's concerned expression staring at him. "…did I miss something?"

"Sweetie, you look exhausted." Wanda whispered to him judging from the heavy bags under Cosmo's eyes, occasionally looking to make sure Professor Awish didn't notice. "I think you should call in."

Yet Cosmo shook his head in denial, remembering that no work equals no pay.

"That's gonna be all for today, class!" Professor Awish announced, watching the clock reveal the end of the hour. "Make sure to read Chapter 16 and 17; I'm going to expect a _lot_ of participation for next class."

As students were dismissed to gather their belongings, Susie and Rose exited the class engaged in their own conversation while Wanda waited for Cosmo to get his things.

"Why don't you want to call in?" Wanda questioned as Cosmo shoved his books into his backpack. "You can barely keep your eyes open…and you've been working a lot of hours, lately."

"The extra money helps with my school payments." Cosmo reasoned, mustering the strength to stand up from his seat. "Plus, I wanna save as much as I can so I can get that car I still want."

"My offer still stands, y'know." Wanda reminded, taking Cosmo's hand once he was ready to go. "My scholarship leaves me with a little bit of money left over. Maybe it could help."

"No way." Cosmo respectfully declined. "That's money you rightfully deserve. You should keep it. Plus, I wanna be able to support myself and you when need be."

"I appreciate that, babe." Wanda voiced, floating down the hallway of Rowena Hall. "But money shouldn't be more important than your health."

"I know, but-"

"Please consider calling in? You need the rest."

Cosmo's shamrock orbs locked with her fuchsias, knowing he probably had little to no choice when it came to Wanda's concern about his welfare. He figured Mr. Wonka wouldn't mind too much since he hardly ever called. Then again, he was paying for school himself on a $2.50 an hour salary, tips kept him afloat but barely spared him any spending money after taxes. He knew Wanda was right, he needed the rest. He just didn't want to listen.

He also knew that if he didn't listen, Wanda's tenacity would make him.

"Okay, baby…" Cosmo replied in a heavy sigh. "I'll give him a call, let him know I can't come in today…"

"Thank you, honey." Wanda smiled, squeezing his hand in appreciation as Cosmo returned with his own weary grin.

**. . . . . .**

Cosmo rested in bed on his side later that afternoon, snoring softly as he faced the wall atop his duvet. After his last class for the day, Wanda had followed Cosmo to his room, and despite wanting to tuck Cosmo in, he insisted he take a nap without covers so he wouldn't sleep too long and throw his whole inner clock out of whack. Just in case he was to oversleep anyways, Wanda set an alarm on his clock. She scratched his hair with gentle fingers, something she learned always helped him to relax, and after a few minutes when she knew he was asleep, she quietly left the room in a cloud of pink.

When Cosmo called Mr. Wonka to take off, he was fortunate enough to be taken off the schedule for the next few days. Apparently, his exhaustion was so prevalent it could be heard in his voice, and in his more recent work performance. This meant a few days of no pay, but he guessed it'd be worth the exchange for rest.

Suddenly, a ringtone of a song from 'Leprechaun Park' sounded vibrated on Cosmo's desk, though Cosmo reacted by a subtle stir in his sleep. His phone continued to ring for about twenty seconds before falling mute, an alert of a missed call following afterwards. If the first call didn't wake him, the second call immediately after certainly did.

With a frustrated grumble, Cosmo rolled to his other side and reached for his phone, eyes still closed as he felt for the side button to press in ending the call before it had a chance to go to voicemail. Just when he thought he finally had peace and quiet, his hopes were shattered by yet another ring of his phone…

_Okay, that's it…_ Cosmo thought as his eyes slowly fluttered. _I'm turning this stupid phone off…_

Retrieving his phone, Cosmo flipped it open to access the keypads, but when he read the unknown number across the screen, his curiosity led him to answer. "…who is this?"

"Cosmo?" the voice on the other line responded, Cosmo filled with instant regret for thinking to answer. "Why did you block my original number?!"

First of all, why was _she_ calling?! "…m-mama?"

"I had to get a whole new number!" Mama Cosma complained. "You have any idea how much of a hassle that was?!"

_I will hang this phone up with the quickness if you don't shut the ever loving fu-_ "Spike took my phone and blocked your number." Cosmo tiredly replied instead of saying what he really wanted to say, not wanting any drama from the likes of her.

"Well…anyway…" Cosmo wiped his eyes with his palm, noting the quick change in her demeanor. "…how are you, dear?" she asked, genuine seemingly in her tone. "You sound exhausted…"

"Why do you keep calling me?" Cosmo simply asked, no desire to entertain her for long.

"Oh, Cosmo lo-lo…" Mama Cosma breathed. He'd never thought he'd ever hear her sound so…pathetic. "Things just haven't been the same since you left and…" he heard a moment of silence before she continued. "…I still love you."

Second of all, who did she think she was fooling? "I don't trust you." Cosmo frankly said, thinking being upfront with her would get her to stop. "And I don't know if I can ever trust you again."

"But Cosmo-"

"Goodbye."

"No, wait! Cos-"

Closing his phone shut, Cosmo turned off his phone before setting it back on his desk, lifting himself to a sitting position on his bed. Great, he was probably going to need yet another new number. Or he could block the one she has now, though it's clear she will stop at nothing to talk to him.

Usually, he wouldn't have stayed on the phone with her; he'd either hang up as soon as she started talking or just simply ignore the call. He halfway expected her to slap him through the phone for how he talked to her…but she seemed strangely repentant, like she wasn't the Mama Cosma he had the displeasure of being raised by.

He sighed, curling his knees to his chest. It shouldn't be this hard to cut her off. He suffered every single form of abuse living under her. She even drove him to suicide! How could he trust that her remorse wasn't some act to get him back under her control? He can't live through that again…he _won't_ live through that again.

Her aversion to Wanda in general is also a contributing factor in his distrust for her. That stupid feud between Fairywinkles and Cosmas is so engrained in her…there's no way she would accept Wanda as his partner. He vowed to never let Wanda go again, and if he let her back in his life, that would mean the end of him and Wanda, and he refused to let that happen again.

At the same time, she was still his mother of whom he still loved…

And he shouldn't hurt the ones he loved.


	5. Chapter 5

Professor Cardician planted a tender kiss on Blonda's cheek before pulling out to remove the condom from his member, both breathing heavily after yet another simultaneous climax.

Students and a few faculty began to suspect something more was going on between Blonda and her professor than just a normal student/teacher relationship. How else could Blonda have the highest grades in his class simply based off sheer effort? There was no way she could be that smart or that gifted, at least, to the skeptics. It almost seemed as if Blonda didn't have to try as hard as other students just to obtain the same level of success.

Because of this, they agreed to keep them to a minimum of once a week, just like acting privates. This actually worked out in their favor because it made their meetups all the more worthwhile as the sexual tension between them grew with the intensity of their attraction for each other.

As long as they could keep up the façade of a strictly student/teacher rapport, they could stay as far under the radar as possible.

Professor Cardician flew over to hug Blonda from behind after she pulled up her underwear underneath her dress. His embrace around her waist brought a warm smile to her lips, allowing his chin to rest on her shoulder as her cheek brushed against his.

"You know," Professor Cardician began, interlacing his fingers with one of her hands. "I've been thinking."

"Yeah?" Blonda inquired. "About what?"

"I'd love to us to spend time outside of this office." He admitted, giving her cheek another smooch.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Blonda hesitated. "What if we get caught?"

"I know a place we can be alone without anyone seeing us." Professor Cardician ensured.

She curiously turned to meet his ocean-blue eyes. "Where?"

Professor Cardician curved his lips in a smirk. "I'm thinking a nice dinner at my place."

"Your place?" Blonda repeated less confidently. "Like…as in your house?"

"That's usually what 'my place' means." Professor Cardician chuckled, releasing her so she could turn to face him. "What do you say?"

"Um…"

"Saturday night?" he suggested, hoping to persuade her. "Home cooked meal, cuddles…plenty of wine?"

Blonda lowered her gaze, uncertainty etched in her features. "That sounds really nice…"

"But?"

"You live three blocks from campus." Blonda pointed out, knowing how nosy students can be. "What if someone sees me?"

"No one will see you." Professor Cardician convinced, moving closer to her. She allowed his finger to brush her cheek, his eyes peering into the depths of her soul. "You have nothing to worry about."

She wasn't so sure if he was right; despite some students going home on weekends, if there was a party, students were out and about. His house was within flying distance so the likelihood of getting spotted seemed the same likelihood that Anti-Fairies exist. Then again, she'd have access free food, all the love and affection he can give, free wine…

How could she possibly say no?

* * *

While Thornton and Spike defeated enemies in a rousing game of Halos, sitting on Spike's bed glued to the screen of Spike's miniature flat screen, Cosmo sat on his own bed, receiving yet another text from his mother. _"_ _ **Would you like to come over sometime?**_ _"_

And for the umpteenth time, he replied " ** _No._** _"_

When was she going to get it through her thick head? Blowing up his phone wasn't going to make him want to talk to her more. He didn't have anything to say to her, well, aside from maybe ' _piss off_ ' or ' _go to hell_.' After all, she always told him "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."

Her endless string of apologies and futile efforts to meet with him went in one ear and out the other; knowing her, she could be full of empty promises…

Perhaps it was time to file a report for harassment.

"Yo, Coz?" Thornton called, noticing Cosmo's unusual silence. "You good, bro?"

"Yeah." Cosmo murmured, seeing no point in bringing up his mother's antics. "Just tired."

"Man, I feel kinda bad." Thornton mentioned, mashing buttons on his controller. "Boss man gave me the next week off."

"It's fine. You deserve it." Cosmo said, knowing Thornton hadn't had multiple days off in maybe three months. "Can't understand how you manage to survive working so much."

"It's kinda cuz I'm just used to it." Thornton admitted. "Moms could never really afford much and pops was out the picture. With three younger siblings to take care of, once I could legally get a job, I decided to man up to bring in the extra income. Basically been workin' and goin' to school since 10th grade."

"Wow, dude." Spike commented. "I respect that."

Thornton grinned, appreciative of Spike's sentiment. "Aye, thanks bro."

Spike's phone buzzed twice, notifying a new message. Thornton let him pause the game to get his phone, and when he opened the message, he caught a glimpse of a picture of Rose, her teal eyes pointing upwards to the left with her cheeks smiling against her palm, sitting at what appeared to be a desk in a classroom. He read the caption _"_ _ **Waiting for class to be over be like…**_ _"_ as he warmly chuckled, clicking to send back a response.

Thornton and Cosmo glanced towards each other with sly smiles, having noticed Spike's whole 'tough' exterior melt away with any form of communication with Rose. Spike hasn't admitted anything yet, but even Cosmo could tell something was up between them. Just from the way his whole face lit up just by the mere mention of Rose.

Closing his phone, Spike turned to see both friends staring at him with smiles, feeling his cheeks begin to burn. "…Shut up."

Cosmo and Thornton burst into laughter, Spike's face gradually flushing into a cherry.

* * *

With the afternoon heat ebbing into the cool breeze of evening, Juandissimo floated along the path to the fitness center, zoning out to the Reggaeton blaring in his ears. He'd be lying if he said it'd been easy pretending to act and/or feel as normal as he could. His mind was driving him crazy, and this was one of those days where he hoped a few reps with weights could help direct his mind somewhere else.

As if he didn't have enough to worry about, he happened to look to his left to see Cupid's annoying smile flying beside him. _Dios mi…not this puta again..._

Seriously, how does this guy keep showing up wherever he was?!

Wanting nothing to do with him, Juandissimo tried to ignore him. Maybe if he just didn't acknowledge him, he'd go away.

Clearly, this did not apply to Cupid; when he wanted your attention, ignoring him will only make him want it more, and the more he wanted attention, the less he'd stop at nothing to get it. Pointing an index finger, Cupid rapidly tapped Juandissimo on his shoulder, smiling as his taps progressively increased in force.

The more Cupid tapped, the more irritated Juandissimo became.

Taking his headphones off to hang around his neck, Juandissimo gradually turned his head to the annoying pest, glaring as he grunted through gritted teeth. " _What…_ …do you _want_!"

Glad his ploy for attention worked, Cupid ceased tapping and eagerly asked one, simple question. "Wanna workout together?!"

Juandissimo scoffed. "You? Going to the gym? To workout?"

"Weeeeellllllll," Cupid beamed. "as much as I would _love_ just sit and watch hot shirtless men lift weights, I actually _care_ about my figure!"

"…is that so?"

"Oh yes, honey! In fact…" Cupid flew to the front entrance, holding the door. "…I have a fun little challenge for us."

Juandissimo rolled his eyes, floating passed Cupid into the gym. "Like what?"

"Liiiiiiiiike a twenty-lap race around the indoor track." Cupid suggested, hovering with Juandissimo passed the unoccupied front desk. "Whoever loses has to buy the other dinner."

"…you are kidding, right?" Juandissimo raised a brow.

"No…" Cupid taunted. "…un _less_ , of course, you're scared you'll lose."

"And you seriously believe you would win?" Juandissimo teased in return. "I know for a fact I can outrun you."

"So sure of yourself." Cupid grinned teasingly, hands on his hips. "I assume this means you accept the challenge?"

Juandissimo had no intensions on going to the track during his gym time since his primary focus was weights; however, from his days in football, running was his forte, so…why not get a free little meal out of it? Who knows, maybe it could be just the distraction he needed.

Adjusting his gym bag, Juandissimo flew closer to Cupid, looking him in the eyes. "Challenge accepted…" he scoffed, floating passed him towards the locker rooms. "…tonto."

"Hmph." Cupid puffed his chest with a smug smile, following after Juandissimo. "And all it took was some friendly competition to get you to workout with me."

* * *

Four hours into his shift, and Cosmo felt like he was drowning.

Saturdays normally were super busy, but this amount of busy was on a whole other level. He's waited on twenty tables so far, and not just small tables, large groups. He had a few spills just from carrying so many plates at once, and there were a few order mix-ups resulting in lower tips or no tip at all. At this rate, he worried he'd zero out at the end of the night after taxes and paying out other staff.

So many orders, so little time.

"Cosmo, come here, will ya?!"

Overhearing Mr. Wonka's voice over the loud buzzing of conversations and the clatter of plates and utensils, Cosmo waded through the crowd passed other servers and customers to Mr. Wonka standing behind the bar. He had a similar build to that of, say, Big Daddy's; brassy-blonde hair curled just blow his ear, matching bushy brows over his azure eyes. Tiny springs of blonde hair coated his arms revealed from his white polo, coated with a plum-purple suede vest and tucked into his khaki pants. His neck sported a gold bowtie, and brown loafers matched his leather belt.

"Y-yes, Mr. Wonka?" Cosmo didn't know if he might have gotten in trouble. Sometimes he could never tell. Mr. Wonka had a longer fuse than probably most managers would with Cosmo, though that didn't mean his fuse couldn't burn out.

Mr. Wonka placed a firm hand on Cosmo's shoulder, pointing to a table two booths from the entrance. "You see that booth over there?" He saw Cosmo's nod out of his peripheral. "It hasn't been waited on, so I want you over there."

Despite already being quite pale, color practically drained itself from Cosmo's face. He can recognize that turquoise beehive anywhere…

"B-but Mr. Wonka, I can't!" Cosmo pleaded.

Mr. Wonka held his firm expression, releasing Cosmo's shoulder. "And why not?"

"Because…" Cosmo couldn't find the words. Mr. Wonka always was about business. He believed in leaving your personal problems at the door. "…I-I just can't!"

"Cosmo, what have I always told you? Customers are customers!" Mr. Wonka sternly reminded, the stress of being overcrowded and under staffed leaving him in no mood for Cosmo's excuses. "Besides, she specifically asked for you."

"…s-she did?"

"Yes, now get over there!"

Cosmo was shoved back into the warzone, eyes locked on the unexpected sight of Mama Cosma. He turned back to Mr. Wonka, searching for the tiniest bit of mercy, yet Mr. Wonka shooed him off, resulting in a reluctant sigh from Cosmo.

Why. Was. She. Here?! Of _all_ places?! The heck was she doing, _stalking_ him?!

Wishing he were somewhere else, Cosmo begrudgingly hovered to her table, watching her scroll through her phone. Treat her like any other customer, he attempted to tell himself. Pretend she was just another quick buck. Time to put on his big boy britches...

Once he reached her table, he took out his notepad and pencil, waiting for her to look up from her phone to either yell at him or call him a lowlife for working some minimum wage job two dollars away from slavery. Exhaling his nerves, he tried to put on the best 'server's' voice he could muster. "Welcome to Fairy World Diner…can I take your order?"

Hearing his voice led her to divert her attention to the young green fairy she hadn't seen in too long of a time, and she quickly noticed the how familiarly different he looked. "You've cut your hair!" she commented to his side shave, more in like a 'shocked' kind of way. "Why did you cut your beautiful long hair?"

"I'm not here to talk about my hair." He sternly reminded. Seems she wasn't going to make this easy… "How did you know I worked here?"

"I didn't, I swear." she admitted honestly, searching his eyes for any sign that he missed her which she could find none. "It wasn't until I flew in and saw you waiting other tables."

Fair enough, he guessed. Then again, she could be lying. "…what would you like?"

"Oh, Cosmo, you know what I want."

"No, actually, I don't." Part of him didn't care, either.

"I just want to see you!" she pleadingly expressed. "I just want to talk to you…"

Cosmo scoffed at her dramatics; she should win a zappy. "You're doing both right now…"

"You know what I mean…" Mama Cosma sighed. He seemed just as cold as he was when he left. "…is this why you never want to meet? Because you're working so much?"

"Partially." Cosmo simply replied.

"Why else don't you want to see me?!"

"Look, I have other tables to get back to." Cosmo shocked himself at how strict he could be with his own mother. "Did you actually wanna order anything?"

Mama Cosma sighed defeatedly, realizing she was getting nowhere. A busy diner wasn't the most ideal place to have a 'one-on-one' with her son. "…I'll just have a vanilla milkshake."

"Nothing else?"

"No, thank you…"

Cosmo observed her change in demeanor after he wrote down her order, taking the menu she held for him to take, but he didn't care to think much of it. "Coming right up…"

"Wait…" Mama Cosma took hold of his arm, preventing her son from floating away. His quizzical gaze stared as she reached into her purse, pulling out a stack of cash. "This is for you."

Glancing between his mother and the cash in her hand, he shook his head; he didn't need her guilt money. "No, thanks…"

"Think of it as a tip." She attempted to change his mind, unfolding his hand to set the money inside. "Please…take it."

Something from the hint of hurt in her voice and the faint gloss of her turquoise orbs melted the ice around his heart, though the brick walls his built still protected his heart from any sudden blows. He didn't want to accept it, yet he reminded himself again to think of her as another one of his customers.

"…fine." He tightened his grip around the four bills, Mama Cosma releasing him from her grasp, and without a 'thank you,' he left to go prepare her milkshake.

Floating behind the bar, he saw her turn her attention to the scenery of cars driving by in the window, a somber expression in her eyes. He looked down to the cash in his hand and used a finger to count the bills, and when he noticed all four were hundred-dollar bills, a dark thought crossed his mind…

…was she _buying_ his trust back?

If so...it didn't work.

* * *

The lull of early evening brought vibrancy to the streets from the glow of lamp posts, warm scarlet skies setting into deep indigo. Blonda counted the red gravel bricks leading up to the mahogany panels of the front entrance to Professor Cardician's home. The only one to know her whereabouts was the host of the night; her excuse to the triplets was 'visiting her father' because her uncles told her he wasn't doing too well. The part involving her father wasn't quite a lie, but she needed something believable to steer them away from any suspicions.

She honestly didn't know what to expect from the night to come. She wasn't sure if he felt the same as she when it came to any strong feelings. _Did_ she love him? _Was_ she in love with him? Was it _right_ for her to love him? Was it too _early_ to love him? It was all confusing and she really didn't feel like thinking about it too much. Her mind already had so much to think about.

Reaching the front door, she pressed the doorbell and gave her outfit of the night another look. He didn't exactly say things would be formal, but she didn't want to look like just another 'student.' She wanted to be mature, sophisticated. A silver long sleeve mock neck cutout ruched mini-dress with matching stilettoes would most certainly knock him off his feet.

When she heard the door unlock, she was greeted by Professor Cardician decked in a simple champagne and black tuxedo, his white lapel tied with a simple black bowtie. She smiled as she licked her lips, Professor Cardician standing to admire the hourglass of her curves and the way her dress plumped her bust.

She maybe his student, but _damn_ was she sexy.

"…Well hello there." Professor Cardician took Blonda's hand, kissing it 'hello.' "You, madam, look quite lovely."

"You don't look to shabby yourself, sir." She batted her eyes as he let her inside. "Way to outdo yourself."

Once inside, Professor Cardician momentarily looked around outside to ensure no one was there before he closed the door, watching the sway of her hips as she admired the modern interior.

She assumed he'd have a nice house, but she didn't expect the open floorplan of chestnut marblewood flooring, marble white walls, single-pane windows reaching all the way to the vinyl ceiling with cream ripple curtains, charcoal sectional L-shaped sofa sitting on a large faux fur rug, facing the electric fireplace built into the wall underneath the 40 inch plasma, a kitchen with galactic storm granite countertops and the same marble white cabinet, set with high-end black metal kitchen appliances, and a single white high gloss finish wooden dining table with matching leather upholstered chairs.

She might as well have onto the set of an upscale reality TV show.

So caught in the trance of her surroundings, she didn't notice Professor Cardician slowly approaching from behind, circling her waist to pull her close to him, something he always did yet always filled her heart with his affection. A warm smile etched her cheeks as he planted a sweet kiss on her left cheek, resting his chin near the base of her neck.

"Hope you worked up an appetite." He spoke softly in her ear, watching her turn to him with an inquiring grin.

"What's on the menu?"

"Besides you?"

She scoffed, playfully nudging him away. "I'm serious!"

"I know." He kindly extended his hand, waiting for Blonda to take it. "This way, madam."

Following him to the dining table, she saw two plates accompanied with wine glasses on opposite ends of the table, covered with a metal lid and a bottle of Cabernet in the center. He released her hand to let out one of the seats for her to sit. She graced herself over and allowed him to scoot her closer to the table in the chair before floating to the other end, taking his own seat. She looked at him as if asking for approval before he motioned for her to take off the lid, and in doing so, she was met with grilled chicken, steamed broccoli and cucumber, and steamed white rice with gravy.

"Whatcha think?" Professor Cardician asked, noticing her awe.

Deciding to give the meal a little taste before she answered, she took her utensils and cut a piece of the chicken, mixing it with the rice and a piece of broccoli. Waiting in anticipation of her opinion, he observed as she set the bitesize to her mouth, and after a few chews, her eyes lit up in delight.

"This is actually good." She complimented after her swallow. "You cooked this yourself?"

"What, you don't think I _bought_ this do you?" he teasingly asked, pouring himself a glass of Cabernet.

"If that's true," Blonda held out her glass. "then you should have been a chef instead of a teacher."

Professor Cardician chuckled, pouring Blonda her glass. "Well, if I became a chef," he set the bottle down on the table as Blonda took a sip. "then I would have never been blessed to meet you."

His compliment brought a smile to her face, captivated by his alluring gaze. Little did she know…

The night was only just beginning

**. . . . . .**

Blonda nestled closer to Professor Cardician, resting her head against his shoulder with his arm wrapped around her shoulder. Enjoying the warmth of the electric fireplace, they resided on the couch with a wool blanket on their laps. Professor Cardician suggested they watch a little TV after their dinner, and "The Magicbook" just so happened to be premiering. Occasionally he'd stop watching the movie to watch Blonda, admiring her beauty, and Blonda would occasionally turn to Professor Cardician to sneak tiny kisses on his cheek to make him smile.

Something just felt 'right' sitting next to him. She felt so at peace, as if she had not a care in the world. As if just by soaking in his essence, the worries of the world had been silenced in her mind. Feeling her eyes falling heavy, she reached into her purse sitting nearby to take out her phone, reading 1:30 am as a tired yawn escaped her. She was so content in spending time with him, she had no idea it was so late.

Sensing her fatigue, Professor Cardician rubbed her arm as he squeezed her closer to him. He softly kissed the top of her head, smiling gently in the silk of her hair. "You can spend the night if you want."

Blonda veered her eyes towards him, becoming uncertain. "…are you sure?"

"There's always the guest bedroom," he figured he'd mention. "that is, if you're not comfortable sharing a bed."

"It's not that," Blonda assured, not sounding too confident in that fact. "I just…never actually spent the night in relationships before."

That fact was truth; she dated Luther for three years, and not once did they ever spend the night with each other. Not that she ever had anything against the idea, she simply never wanted to. It gave her the impression that things were getting more serious than she really intended, and the thought of spending the night with her professor just made her question just how serious things were getting so quickly.

"That's right, I keep forgetting how old you are." Professor Cardician admitted, chuckling to himself. "You just act so mature for your age, it slips my mind sometimes."

She stared into his eyes, pondering if she could honestly accept that as a compliment. "…y-you really think that?"

He lifted a palm to caress her cheek, his voice smooth like velvet. "Of course, I do."

Pulled by the magnet of her yearning, he leaned closer, pressing his forehead against hers. The palm on her cheek brought her lips closer to his, halting just before their lips touched as if waiting for permission. Though the fireplace was on, more than just heat surged through her veins. His ocean blue eyes, so hypnotizing…his lips, so captivating. No longer able to resist, she circled her arms around his neck with her hand running fingers through the silk of his black hair, drawing him to her.

Their lips meeting felt like tunnel vision, everything around void of sound. She didn't know what it was, but his charm had a way past her walls. Her eyelids fell in the heat of passion swelling within her. Nothing else mattered, and all she craved was the sweet taste of sugar on his lips.

Slow and steady wins the race; he took his time with one kiss lingering after the other. He just couldn't get enough of her strawberry lipstick. Her smile, her poise, her elegance…addicted to the depth of her spirit. He'd never met anyone quite like her, and although she was young, he felt as if he'd known her his whole life.

He parted their lips despite her going in for another, brushing the tip of his nose against hers as he softly said "There is…one last thing I wanted to do to top off the night."

She opened her eyes to meet his once more; whatever it was, she knew she couldn't say 'no.' "And that would be?"

The longing in his gaze told it all…

Her eyes fell closed as her head tilted back slightly against the pillow, mouth agape from the rush of him thrusting in and out of her.

Clothed with nothing but cotton white sheets of his king mattress, his eyes locked in the pleasure of her arousal. Admiring all the woman underneath him, he quickened his motions, adhering to his senses enhanced by the connection of their bodies as one.

"Blonda…"

His sudden shakily breath brought her from her erotic daze momentarily, her eyes drawn to man above her. Sweat trickled from his temple in the heat of passion, his skin glistening from the shimmer of moonlight seeping in from the two single-pane glass just above the bed.

"Professor…"

Her soft call for him simply deepened his bliss, his lips falling against her neck as their heavy panting slowly became soft moans with each hastening stroke of his adoration for her. Their hearts accelerated, their pacing only growing faster, their moans amplifying from the intensity of shared ecstasy…

They both cried out as his euphoria was released in stimulated pumps.

Catching their breaths, he lifted his head to where he kissed her forehead, perspiration salting his tongue. She gasped once he removed himself out of her, shuttering from the spasms taking over just below her abdomen. His fingertips tugged the tip of the filled condom and carefully removed it from his member, tossing it into the nearby trashcan, before settling under the sheets to cuddle next to Blonda.

Her cheek lay just above his chest with her hand resting delicately on his pecs, the bulge of his bicep embracing her close to him while one hand rested behind the back of his head against the pillow. Exhaustion soon crept over them once their breathing normalized, but there was one last thing Professor Cardician made sure to say before he gave into sleep…

"…I love you."

She veered her eyes to him, his eyes closed and his breaths slowly turning more rhythmic. Hearing those three simple yet powerful words come from him towards her…she would have never imagined. Hearing those words melted her heart, more than he could ever comprehend. She had never heard those words before, not from any man she ever got herself romantically/sexually involved with. Though an unfamiliar feeling, she grew to accept it as truth, and when she nestled her face in his chest, she too expressed what her heart felt in that moment, just as her mind drifted into dreams.

"…I love you, too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cringe every time I write scenes with Blonda and her Professor 'boyfriend,' yet here I am, continuing to write them.  
> Also, Cupid is literally so much fun to write.  
> And yeah. Find out next time...on Dragon Ball Z just kidding lol


	6. Chapter 6

Connected to the student library stood Starbizzies, the popular coffeehouse chain. Grey stone floors set the foundation for the hazelnut wooden walls, curved grey stone marble countertops surrounded by black laminate tables set with black metal barstools and cheery wood seating. A metal glass display of treats and desserts connected to the cashier stand, a snake of students waiting to place their orders as multiple baristas in hunter green aprons hastily fulfilled said orders in a set amount of time.

Having already placed their orders, Spike and Thornton stood along the back wall with other students waiting for their names to be called. They had a free hour in between classes, so they figured why not get a couple of coffees to decompress from sitting through lecture after lecture…after lecture.

Spike turned to Thornton rubbing his eyes, aware of just how tired he was. Functioning off three and four hours of sleep a night started to catch up to him, and though he'd try to hide it, Spike wasn't oblivious. If he had to work as much as Thornton and Cosmo did on top of school, he'd be half dead by now. "Maybe you should have gotten two shots of expresso instead of one." Spike commented, only half joking.

"Nah, man…" Thornton yawned, extending his arms in a much-needed stretch. "Nobody needs Thornton on two shots of expresso." He lowered his arm, tucking his hands in his sports jacket pockets. "I'd be tweakin' like crazy…"

"Ha, can't relate." Spike tittered. "Sometimes I need three of four shots of expresso just to feel anything."

"Man, I wish I had that level of caffeine tolerance…" Thornton responded. "Three or four shots of expresso for me equals, like, five days wide awake than a mofo."

"…You're joking."

"No cap, bruh." Thornton spoke from experience. "I literally watched the sun rise and set five times inna row before I finally just passed all the way out…like, comatose knocked."

Following a few students inside the entrance on the other end of the coffee shop, Rose spotted two familiar faces standing over by the back wall, so she flew over to give them a nice, friendly greeting. "Hey, fellas!"

"Sup, Rose." Thornton tiredly welcomed, accepting her hug by hugging her back.

"Not much." Rose broke from his arms. "Waiting on coffee?"

"You mean waitin' on a lifeline, then yes."

Rose went over to Spike, circling her arms around his neck, oblivious to Spike's awkward stance as he mulled in his mind why it was difficult for him to just hug her back. Every time she hugged him, his whole body froze, unable to move or react.

"I could _really_ use a latte right about now." Rose remarked as she released Spike from her hold. "Mind if I join?"

"We have nothing else better to do…well... _Spike_ has nothing else better to do." Thornton took a glimpse to the rose spreading across Spike's cheeks.

"Cool!" Rose beamed. "I'll go get in line before it gets any longer. Brb!"

Once Rose left, Thornton teasingly elbowed Spike on his shoulder. "Why so shy all of the sudden?"

"…I dunno what you're talking about." Spike shied away, scratching his nose.

"You _like_ -like her."

"What?!" Spike darted his eyes to Thornton. "No way!"

"Uh, yes way." Thornton smiled slyly.

"Dude, no I don't!"

"Dude, yes you do."

"Nuh-uh!"

"Cap."

"I hate you…" Spike groaned, much to Thornton's delight, and his eyes fell on the teal-eyed fairy, his touch exterior softening watching her text as she waited. Hair rich in orange, eyes silk as water, skin glistening like pearls, figure petite yet full in all the right places…

Geez, how could anyone be so pretty?

"Venti Caramel Macchiato for Spike?!"

"Aye man, that's you." Thornton noticed Spike's eyes glued on his best-friend, prompting him to tap Spike on the shoulder to bring him back from hypnosis. "Sprung than a mofo."

"Can it, carrot top." Spike muttered, floating over to the counter with Thornton chuckling behind him.

* * *

Center stage of the auditorium in Teller Hall, all eyes in the class were on Blonda as she performed her first-person monologue written by a well-known playwright currently in the business in Fairywood. Professor Cardician had given his students an assignment to memorize a monologue and to perform it in front of the class, acting out their interpretation of what the author was saying. It was nearing the end of the class, and though he liked the acts from a few of his students' while cringing from others who, quite frankly, were just dramatic without any real drama in their performance, he highly anticipated what Blonda had chosen.

The hour of class was almost up, and Blonda was close to the end of reciting her chosen monologue.

"Tears stream down this face...as my vision grows darker...trapped in the ocean of despair...the same tears that lived enclosed within my soul...released at last...only to see my dying wish...as the ocea-"

"Stop."

His stern command took Blonda by surprise, not expecting such a reaction from him. "…what?"

Ruby and the other students watched Professor Cardician gradually hover down the aisle closer to the stage, his expression unclear as to what he was thinking. "Did you pick this monologue because you felt a real emotional connection to it, or did you pick it out because you thought you could try to impress me?"

She cocked her brow, unsure of what else to say other than "…well, I didn't really think about whether I connected with it. I just liked how it sounded"

"And that's your problem."

A few students spoke amongst themselves quietly while Blonda, taken aback by the harsh of his tone, defensively questioned "…and just what do you mean by that?"

"Actors and Actresses don't act out their lines just because they 'like' it or by just 'going through the motions.'" Professor Cardician firmly explained. "They find a connection and search within themselves to portray the true emotion of every word. They convey to the audience the truth of their message and suck the audience into their world, their story…" He creased his brow with his arms crossed, his tone dangerously merciless. "…a type of passion that _you_ seem to lack."

She stared at him, offended by his words. "I thought the assignment was to just memorize a monologu-"

"The _actual_ assignment" he interrupted. "was to memorize a monologue and convey the message the writer was trying to say that resonated with you personally…" He then stood where she could clearly see the seriousness in his eyes, unmoved by the hurt in her stare. "…something you would have paid attention enough to care about if you were serious about acting."

Ruby could see Blonda's eyes begin to gloss as other students whispered their opinions to each other. Whatever side of the bed that guy woke up on, clearly it was the wrong one. Constructive criticism was one thing…but what he was doing was straight defamation of her character.

Her heart fell into the pit of her stomach; how could he _say_ that to her?! What about all the times he'd praise her for being his 'star pupil?' He knows how much she wanted to become an actress, he knows how she decided to take her mother's dream that they both shared and turn it into reality. She was the one who revealed it to him, at her most vulnerable. Why would he throw that back in her face?!

Feeling backed into a corner, Blonda met Professor Cardician's glare with her own despite the tears threatening to fall, and she retorted as she attempted to hide the quiver in her voice. "…I _am_ serious about acting…"

"Then use that emotion you're feeling right now and run through the monologue again." Professor Cardician firmly instructed, backing just a few feet away from the stage. "Go!"

She didn't want to show that he'd gotten to her, yet her pain trickled down her cheeks, suddenly sympathetic to the words coming from her mouth as if they were her own. "T-tears stream down this face..."

She closed her eyes momentarily to soothe the burn from her tears. "…as my vision grows darker...trapped in the ocean of despair..."

Her eyes shut tighter as she sniffed, balling her fists to keep from screaming. "…t-the same tears that lived enclosed within my soul...released at last...only to see…my dying wish…"

Ruby felt a twinge in her heart, feeling her best friend's pain as she forced herself to open her eyes to face her fellow classmate. "...as the ocean welcomes me into the black depths...as my eyes close..."

Just as in the monologue, she closed her eyes once more, allowing her tears to flow freely. "...my soul wading under the sea...flowing to the rhythm of the river…"

Speaking just above a whisper, she opened her eyes, staring directly towards Professor Cardician. "...as one final tear...streams down this face..."

After a moment of pause, Professor Cardician lifted his hands and a slow clap, the class soon joining along as each clap grew quicker before they became a full applause. Despising herself for showing weakness, Blonda soon wiped her tears away, Professor Cardician turning to face the class.

"As you just saw, class," he began, motioning to his muse on stage. " _that_ is how you take direction given to you…and convey true, raw emotion" a small grin curved his lips. "…giving life to words written on a page."

Realizing he was complimenting her, her tears of sorrow slowly turned to tears of gratitude, though she wiped them away to stop them from falling as Professor Cardician dismissed the class, seeing him turn to her as students gathered their belongings.

"Blonda…" he motioned to the red curtains hanging in the backdrop. "…a word, please?"

_After the stunt you pulled?!_ Blonda wanted to decline, but the warmth that returned in his eyes convinced her otherwise. She noticed Ruby's quizzical stare from the front row of the auditorium, as if to ask her if she knew what was going on from such a strange yet difficult to watch interaction. Blonda didn't have time to really go to her to explain, because Professor Cardician gently took her by the arm and lead her behind the curtains.

Once the pair were backstage, still holding her in his grasp, he drew her closer to him, leaning in for a kiss on the lips. Blonda, however, turned away to where his kiss landed on her cheek; he barely deserved any affection from her.

Seeing how upset she was, he took her by both hands, sincerity in his eyes. "I'm so sorry for being so harsh…" he smiled to show he meant no ill intent. "I can't let people know I have a favorite."

"You didn't have to go that far, though!" Blonda interjected, breaking her hands free from his with her tone just as stern as her glare. "You really hurt my feelings…"

"I know…" Professor Cardician maintained eye contact, reaching to interlace his fingers with hers once again. "…and I'm so…so sorry."

She puckered her lip in a pout, looking away. He reached just beneath her chin, using the tip of his fingers to make her face him. "I won't go that far again…." His remorseful expression was met with an unforgiving glare. "…please forgive me?"

An interesting idea came to Blonda's mind, her glare softening. "…you'll have to make it up to me."

Professor Cardician leaned closer to her, brushing his nose against hers as he softly smiled. "…and how can I make it up to you?"

She allowed her lips to curl in a flirtatious grin, wrapping her arms around his neck as he his hands rested just above her hips. "…you can think of something."

As if giving him the go-ahead, he parted his lips to hers, making her smile.

* * *

Rays of sunlight fill the sky in the brilliance of its warm glow as Juandissimo occupied a lone bench not too far from the entrance of Leo Hall, staring down at the crimson guitar resting in its case. Plucking the strings of such a rich and full instrument once brought about solace in his chaos…but his motivation to play slowly diminished. His still wanted to play just from how much he missed it, so he figured taking it out of his room into a different locate could reignite his passion. Yet he quickly learned location didn't matter when he still felt stuck in the same rut of riffs and chords, leaving the magic of his soul uninspired and hollow.

"Whatcha up to, Juan?!"

Recognizing such a flamboyant voice anywhere, Juandissimo looked up to his right to see the unwarranted acquaintance of the gaunt pink fairy hovering next to the bench, a friendly smile fixed across his cheeks. "…why are you here?" Juandissimo coolly asked; if he must deal with Cupid and his annoying antics, then so be it.

"All have you know, I live here!" Cupid answered, referring to staying in Leo Hall. "I was just on my way back to my room, but then I saw you and stopped to say 'hi.'"

Juandissimo couldn't have cared less. "…hi."

Turning his attention back to his guitar, debating whether to take it out, Cupid floated closer and took the seat right next to Juandissimo, getting a better view of the polished instrument.

"…you play?!" Cupid pointed to Juandissimo's guitar, watching him simply shrug in response. "Ooooooooooh I _love_ a good guitar!" he gripped Juandissimo by his shoulder, resulting in a not-so-welcoming stare from the Hispanic fairy. "Play something!"

"…do I have to?"

"Pah- _leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeasse?!_ "

Cupid's begging wasn't the most annoying part; the most annoying part was his puppy dog pout he'd add at the end of his begging, as if you didn't feel obligated enough to say 'yes.'

Juandissimo despised those pouts…only because they always won in the end. "…*sigh*…fine."

With Cupid smiling in childlike delight, Juandissimo pulled the guitar from its case and set the side of the body on his right leg so his right hand could manipulate the frets.

"OMG, you must be left-handed!" Cupid enthused, noting the thickest string on the right of the guitar. "So am I!"

"Good to know, I guess…" Juandissimo twisted the pegs according to the frequency of the strings, having memorize what pitch to listen for. Once the guitar was tuned, he veered his eyes back to Cupid, and though part of him didn't really care, he figured he'd be nice and ask. "…any special requests?"

"Hmmm…" Cupid pondered a bit. "What do you know?"

Once again, Juandissimo simply shrugged. "…there is not much I do not know."

"In that case..." Cupid didn't really have anything specific he wanted to hear; he just wanted a nice little serenade. "You can play anything you want!"

The strings squeaked in response to Juandissimo's fingers maneuvered across the fretboard, deciding what chord progression he wanted to start with. No notable song in particular came to mind, so he decided on improvisation. Playing off the top of his head wasn't his strongest skillset, yet it'd at least get the creative juices flowing.

Leaning back against the backrest, Cupid listened intently to the calming arpeggiated jazz inspired chords. After knowing Juandissimo for a few weeks now, there was still quite a bit Cupid didn't know about him. He could ramble on about anything; failed relationships, his estrangement from his parents, how pink should be the only color in existence…in fact, Juandissimo probably knew more about Cupid than Cupid knew about himself. However, when Cupid offered the same sentiment and ask him about his personal life, he'd always avoid the subject, and for a while, he figured perhaps Juandissimo was just a quiet person.

Normally he strayed away from anyone not a sociable as him because he'd always find them boring to be around. He thrived off social interactions, and he could hold a lengthy conversation no matter the topic. When it came to Juandissimo, he felt something different…compelling, even. As the god of love, he can also sense when someone is in dire need of love; it's why he targeted Juandissimo specifically. He sensed a darkness in Juandissimo's heart, a cliché black cloud over his head, so when he'd see him alone around campus, he wanted to be his light.

As he continued playing, Juandissimo glanced briefly to the silent fairy with an arched brow. "…you are awfully quiet."

"Oh, I'm just enjoying the music." Cupid calmly replied, crossing his hands over his lap. "Acoustic is my favorite guitar; it's just so…relaxing." A few more chords graced his ears. "…you ever play in a band before?"

"…no."

"You totally should have." Cupid admired, smiling warmly. "You're really good."

Juandissimo paused; compliments lately came few and far between, and coming from Cupid, he knew he meant it. "…gracias."

"…does that mean 'thank you' in Spanish?" Cupid inquired.

"Si."

"That means 'yes.' Figured that…" Cupid rubbed his chin in thought before he perked in curiosity. "How do you say 'you're welcome?'"

Picking up where he left off, Juandissimo strummed a few more chords. "De nada."

"De nada…OMG I know Spanish words now!"

Cupid's innocent glee almost brought a faint grin to Juandissimo's face…Almost.

* * *

"Sooooooooo!" Amethyst cheesed, revealing her pattern design for her Stich and Sew class. "Whatcha think, ladies?!"

"Looks interesting…" Sapphire commented from her bed, lying flat on her stomach with her chin propped and calves kicking the air. "…but totally impossible to make."

"What?!" Amethyst turned her pattern to face her, confusion in her brow. "How is it impossible?!"

"Who have you seen with inflatable trousers?!" Sapphire pointed out. "Plus, how could you even keep them inflated with cotton fabric?!"

"He _llo_ …we're fairies?!" Amethyst retorted. "Literally _anything_ is possible!"

While her sisters continued their ridiculous debate, Ruby, propped against the wall on Amethyst's bed with her legs crossed, turned to Blonda sitting next to her, appearing to be completely entranced in whatever text conversation she was having.

Blonda was more reserved than usual; she would be present physically, yet her mind seemed elsewhere. They didn't know what was going on with her, and she had been less than willing to talk whenever they asked. It was strange, completely out of the norm in Blonda's case.

Ruby didn't want to make any speculations, but she also noticed how much Professor Cardician either asked Blonda to see him in his office or asked her to stay late after class. Blonda would get oddly defensive if Ruby would inquire anything regarding him, leading Ruby to believe something was up. If there was one thing about Blonda that didn't change, it was that Blonda's defenses shot up when she was asked about something she didn't want to answer.

"…hey Blonda?" Ruby patted Blonda on her thigh, causing her to look at her. "Who're you texting?"

Blonda's blankly stared before returning back to her phone, simply muttering "No one."

"Girl, you've been so secretive lately!" Sapphire happened to hear Blonda actually speak for the first time since she's been in the room.

"Yeah!" Amethyst agreed, tossing her design back on her desk. "You used to tell us everything!"

"So I wanna keep some things to myself!" Blonda griped back. "Is that such a crime?!"

"No, but it's just so unlike you!" Sapphire countered. "You haven't been yourself for months!"

"You don't expect me to stay the same person the rest of my life, do you?!" Blonda refuted. "I have a right to grow and evolve!"

Sitting right next to Blonda, Ruby could see Blonda's phone screen, surprised by the caller ID she could read from the text messages.

"Nobody said you can't 'grow and evolve', Blonda!" Amethyst disputed with air quotes. "We're just saying we're worried about you, that's all!"

"Funny way of showing it." Blonda spat, wishing the debacle of a conversation could end. "I didn't ask for the third degree!"

"Are you and Professor Cardician _dating_?!"

Blonda turned to Ruby's quizzical yet repulsed expression, looking down briefly at her phone to realize her messages were opened. "…that's absurd!" Blonda defended, closing her phone. "How can you even ask me that?!"

"First of all," Ruby snatched Blonda's phone from her hand. "what teacher you know texts their students?! Second of all," she ignored Blonda's eyes of betrayal, opening her phone to read the messages. "what teacher says to their student ' ** _can't wait to make you scream for me again_** _'_?!"

"Wait, you're kidding!" Sapphire then snatched Blonda's phone from Ruby despite Blonda's fighting for her phone back, Amethyst looking over her shoulder to read what her sister was reading. "O…M…G!"

"Give it _back_!" Blonda shouted, Sapphires hand shoved against Blonda's face to hold her back. "That's _not_ none of your business!"

Amethyst scoffed. "Girl, when I said you needed a new man, I didn't mean someone practically illegal!"

"And that's why _none_ of you will tell anyone!" Blonda threatened, finally grabbing her phone from Sapphire's clutches. "Or else I'll _never_ speak to any of you _ever_ again!"

"Psssh, c'mon Blonda." Amethyst scoffed, setting a hand on her hip. "Don't be so dramatic."

"Think I won't."

All three girls glanced towards each other before turning back to the scowl in Blonda's fuchsia eyes burning in grimace. They've never seen her so angry towards them before, nor has she ever threatened never to speak to them again. Why would she put her future at risk for her teacher? Why would she do something that ridiculously dumb?

Normally, they'd be all for it, but this wasn't high school anymore…

* * *

Seated in one of the Library Media Center's straight-back wooden chairs the next day, Rose's fingertips sped across the keypad, typing away at her Transfiguration term paper. She figured she'd work on the paper which she had the entire week to complete before it was due in an hour for her next class. Procrastination had always been her weakness, yet she knew she can thrive under pressure.

Electric Pop sounding in her earbuds blocked out other clatters of computer keypads from the students around her, relying on music to keep her focused. A subtle tap on her shoulder disrupted her zone, so she took out one of her earbuds to see Spike hovering casually beside her, briefly taken aback by how the vibrant of his blue eyes seemed to glow against his dark clothing.

"Spike…uh…hey!" Rose didn't know why she suddenly felt so awkward. "W-what are you doing here?!"

"Uh…what people do when they come to the library?" Spike answered joking, finding her awkwardness to be kind of adorable. "I just have a Magic Analysis paper to finish."

"…cool!" Rose looked around, seeing the vacant computer right next to her left. She met Spike's gaze, motioning to the empty chair beside her. "…you wanna work on it right here?"

"Depends." Spike replied with a side smile. "…is this seat occupied?"

"It is if you want it."

Taking an offer he couldn't possibly refuse, Spike set his backpack on the floor, taking his seat as he kept Rose's eye contact with a coquetry expression, making her giggle. She returned her attention back to her screen as Spike unlocked the computer with his individual student login, setting her earbud back in her ear. After digging in his backpack for the USB where his paper was saved and plugging into the port, he was about to get started when he glanced towards Rose once more, and suddenly, he couldn't keep his eyes off of her.

He didn't know if he was just exposed to Cosmo and Wanda's super-gushy mushiness more often than he thought, but lately, he felt a flutter in his heart whenever he was around Rose. He was almost instantly drawn to her quirky personality when they crossed paths during orientation, though he hid it quite well for her not to notice. She carried herself with such an exuberance that captivated him. Most girls were all the same to him, plastic shells of makeup, unrealistic body image, and fixation of societally attractive men. But Rose had depth…she didn't care about trivial things most girls obsessed over. She had a head on her shoulders, and, though not a real requirement, she was always the first to catch on to his sarcastic wits.

Seeing her now, up close and personal, he didn't realize just how pretty she was in her own merit. He could swim forever in a pool of her big teal eyes, and her tiny button nose almost made him want to press it. The faint diamond of her cheeks set every feature in proportion, and her lips were a pale pink that reminded him of a rose bud, arched with a natural cupid's bow with the bottom on slightly more plush. He normally wouldn't pay this much attention to details of female feature, but something inside wondered if her lips tasted as sweet as they looked.

"A picture will last a lot longer, y'know"

Spike blinked out of his daydream, noticing Rose smiling at him oh so inquisitively. "Uh…I-I um…." He cleared his throat, attempting to cover up his blushing with witty humor. "…but what if your face breaks the camera lens?"

A small smile curved her lips the longer she held his stare. Rose always knew there was a soft side to Spike's pointed edges; all self-proclaimed 'bad boys' did. She wasn't sure about him in the beginning, however. Not that he was off-putting, he just seemed a little…guarded. Guarded in the sense that he'd never go below the surface. She assumed that was just his personality, but in remembering the morning after the Blacklight Party, she realized she had only been exposed to the tip of the iceberg.

Obviously, there was a lot of alcohol present at the party, and everyone (except Cosmo because of his not-so-wonderful first experience) partook in the liquid courage. Everything seemed pretty normal, everyone laughing and dancing and whatnot. At some point, Susie and Wanda went off with their boyfriends, and Thornton pretty much did his own thing, so that left Spike to keep her company. Things were innocent at first, friendly banter here and there, but then they started dancing, and the more they danced, the more magnetic their bodies became. Rose didn't mind this but, something snapped in Spike's mind and he just…left. No goodbye, no 'see you later'…just vanished, and Rose just couldn't understand why.

It wasn't until he texted her that next morning asking if she could come over that she learned the true reason. When they talked, he told her about how before his mother walked out of his life, her post-partum was so terrible that it turned into severe chronic depression. She lived a shell of a person; she never hugged him, she never kissed him goodnight, she never comforted him whenever he'd cry, and she would blame him for making her life so terrible and stressful. He had his dad but, he didn't believe in 'babying' children. Physical affection wasn't something he was accustomed to, and when he apologized for doing what he did. Sometimes she'd still get carried away with the physical contact, but at least she had more respect as to why.

"He _lllllllooooo_ …Fairy World to Rooooooossssseeee. Do you copy?"

Her eyes flickered from her thoughts from Spike's hand waving in her face. The small smile on his face practically made her heart melt.

Of course, he can't know that.

Rose shoved him away playfully, his small laugh making her cheeks burn from smiling so much. "Shut up."

* * *

Classes were finished for the day, bringing in the start of a much-needed weekend. Residing in their dorm room, Rose and Wanda worked on their homework together, settled on their respective beds.

"So…" Rose flipped through a page in her Da Rules textbook, her finger scrolling along to the text. "…godkids can't use magic to win a competition because it's considered cheating."

"Yep." Wanda finished writing her answer on the assignment sheet. "And they also can't use magic to find true love."

They were interrupted by a knock on their door, Wanda setting her binder and textbook aside to answer whoever was knocking. Tugging the door open, indigo eyes hovered before her. "Hey, Susie."

"Soooooo are you guys done with your homework?" Susie eagerly asked, leaning against the doorframe.

"Almost." Wanda quizzically replied. "…why?"

"Finish it later." Susie smiled. "Get your things."

"…again. Why?"

"Since Thornton and Cosmo finally have some time off, I figured we'd do something as a group!"

Wanda and Rose turned to each other, Rose shrugging her shoulders as she was just as confused as Wanda was.

**. . . . . .**

"What's the special occasion?" Spike asked Thornton floating in the doorway, Cosmo sitting on the edge of his bed.

"Susie thought it'd be a cool idea to check out Fairy Fest." Thornton explained, seeing Spike and Cosmo's shared confused expressions. "You know…at Fairy World Amusement Park? Happens once a year?"

"I never heard of it until now." Cosmo admitted. "Sounds like fun!"

"Only the funnest." Thornton grinned. "It's in Rainbow Bridge on the other side of town, and it's free to Fairy Academy students with ID."

"Word? Then count us in!" Spike enthused. Anything with 'free' in the word instantly peaked his interest.

"Good! Then get your shoes on." Thornton advised. "Cuz Susie's waitin' with the ladies out front."

Cosmo blinked. "…right now?"

"Yes, now hurry up!"

**. . . . . .**

Alewandro took a seat atop the stone steps of the amphitheater, leaning over his knees. After yet another disagreement with Juandissimo, he needed to get away to get his thoughts together. Alewandro's temper normally wasn't so easy to set off. Confrontations were things he tried to avoid. In the more recent days of dealing with his brother, hearing the same nonsense from him sparked his anger. He hated fighting, but Juandissimo's behavior left him with no other choice. They can't keep doing this to each other…

"Wandro!"

Hearing his name veered his eyes to his left, his girlfriend and five other fairies hovering towards him. Why were they all smiling at him like that? "…yes?"

"We're all going to Fairy Fest." Rose answered. "You should join us!"

"…I appreciate the sentiment, pero..." Alewandro sighed, lowering his eyes. "I do not want to ruin your fun with my bad mood…"

"That's why you should come with us, babe." Susie encouraged, floating over to lay a consoling hand on his shoulder. "It might help you feel better!"

"Yeah!" Cosmo added, holding Wanda's hand. "And we don't wanna leave you out!"

Alewandro pondered the idea, all eyes staring back at him. The last time he went to an amusement park had to be more than ten years ago. Maybe reliving his childhood wouldn't be so bad. "…okay, I will go."

"Good, cuz we need an extra whip." Thornton lightheartedly noted.

Alewandro smiled faintly. "Is _that_ the reason why you are inviting me?"

"You expect us to all fit in Susie's car like a pack of sardines?" Spike jokingly replied.

"Besides," Susie took her boyfriend by both hands to lift him. "the ladies will ride with me, and the fellas can ride with you."

"Yeeeeeah, boys road trip!" Cosmo enthused, Wanda giggling in response.

"So, what are we waiting on?" Rose interjected, ready for some action. "Fairy Fest awaits!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted a more light-hearted chap for this fic, so Chapter 7 is going to be completely around Fairy Fest. FYI.


	7. Chapter 7

Sunny rays and cotton candy clouds: the perfect weather for Fairy Fest. Crowds of fairies young and old occupied the wide and vast landmass, excited customers entering underneath the tall metal gates with "Fairy World Amusement Park" written in purple against the light pink backdrop.

Festive music filled the atmosphere, occasionally muffled by screams of joy piercing through the air from various rides. Fairy Fest held a plethora of amusements; from carnival game booths to family friendly attractions, from go-karts and bumper cars to massive structures of both wooden and steel rollercoasters, from log rides to the giant Ferris Wheel set alight by rainbow bulbs along the steel webs. Guests could also enjoy the satisfaction of various refreshments, from brightly colored balls of soft sugar to funneled cakes topped with powdered sweetness, from refreshing lemonades to carbonated flavorings, from feel-good foods such as popcorn and corndogs to grilled satisfaction of hamburgers and hotdogs.

Traveling the natural flow of floating traffic, the self-proclaimed "Odd Squad" contemplated where their festivities would begin as they eyed the various activities throughout the amusement park. Cosmo's hand squeezed Wanda's while Alewandro and Susie held the other's waist in a half-hug, leading the pack. Behind Cosmo and Wanda, Rose hovered in between Thornton and Spike, her eyes occasionally leaning towards the blue-eyed fairy to her left.

"Hey, look you guys!" Susie announced, pointing towards the booth north of them with four basketball hoops. "Why not start things off with a little friendly competition between the boys."

Cosmo raised a coy hand, aware that compared to the rest of the guys in the group, he stood no chance. "But I'm no good at basketball."

"You don't have to be good, Cozzie." Spike ensured, patting Cosmo on his back. "You just gotta shoot as many balls in the hoop as you can before the timer runs out."

"But that's what I'm saying." Cosmo clarified. "My aim is about as good as a blind bat!"

"Tsk, I'm kickin' _all_ y'alls butts!" Thornton declared, flexing his arms. "Ballin' or not!"

"Humble thine self, brethren." Rose cheekily tapped Thornton's chest with her finger before smiling to Spike. "You shouldn't underestimate your opponents."

He knew she was just playing along, yet Spike's cheeks still flushed pink.

Noticing his silence, Susie took Alewandro by his hand, swinging back and forth as she encouraged with a warm smile. "C'mon, baby, it could be fun!"

"Yeah, babe." Wanda persuaded Cosmo. "Give it a try!"

"Okay, fine." Cosmo spoke before a swift peck met Wanda's cheek. "Only cuz you're cute."

The seven of them hovered passed more of the crowd to gather around the Basketball group, watching as four participants finished their turn. With one child against three teenagers, it seemed a bit embarrassing that the child made more shots than all three teens combined.

"I find it hilarious that the three of you have ladies to win prizes for." Thornton joked, motioning to his three male buds. "Meanwhile," he motioned proudly to himself. "I simply get bragging rights if I win."

"Yeah." Spike humorously punched Thornton in the arm. " _If_ you win."

The buzzer sounded at zero minutes and zero seconds, signaling the end of the game. Once the small child, the obvious victor of the game, chose his prize, on employee in charge of the booth reset the game with his wand while the other took five dollars each from the boys, asking them to hover over the marked X's a few feet away from the hoops. Alewandro hovered facing the hoop on the farthest left end with Thornton floating beside his right, followed by Spike beside Thornton and Cosmo posted by the farthest right. After the employee explained the rules, they waited for thirty seconds to appear on the giant above the nets, and once the timer started, so did the boys.

At Fairy Fest, the Basketball game had a similar setup to that found in most arcades, so unlimited basketballs cycled through beneath the rims for the players to use. The ladies observed from behind as the game went on, and Thornton and Alewandro seemed to know what they were doing as they both had the best form. Spike knew how to shoot yet wasn't aware to flick his wrist for optimal power in his shots, and Cosmo's basketballs hit nothing but net…the net backdrop that is. As a result, Cosmo's mouth began to pout, becoming discouraged.

"C'mon, babe!" Wanda tried to motivate Cosmo to keep trying. "You can do it!"

Thornton eyed Alewandro from the side, seeing how many shots Alewandro made versus how many he missed. He used this as leverage to talk his mess, ensuring he kept shooting while he talked his mess. "Dude, you're the only ex-athlete in the group, and you can't make all yo' shots!"

"Ex- _foot_ ball athlete." Alewandro corrected, his eyes remaining on the hoop before him. "Not basketball."

"Aye, layoff dude!" Spike intervened, bouncing his basketball on the turf to get a sense of how overinflated it was. "More Magicalanin doesn't equate to more skill!"

Thornton paused, staring skeptically at Spike. "Dude that…that's not at _all_ what I'm saying!"

Cosmo had no clue what was going on. "…what's Magicalanin?"

Ten seconds remained on the clock with Cosmo dead last, and though Thornton held the lead for a while, Alewandro made a quick comeback in getting more baskets. The race came down between him, Thornton, and Spike. All Spike had to do was make three more shots to claim first place, but one of his basketballs shot off the rim completely out of the net. Five seconds remaining, Thornton attempted to shoot his shot, and just when he thought the ball would go into the net, it rolled off the rim into the pit. Ceasing the opportunity, Alewandro managed to shoot his basketball straight into the net just before the buzzer ended the game, making him the winner. As the ladies cheered for Alewandro's victory, Thornton and Spike glance to each other before glancing back at the victor, shaking their heads in defeat.

"So uh…Thorn." Spike teased, Susie accepting the prized lilac teddy bear practically the same size as she before congratulating Alewandro with a kiss. "What happened to kicking all our butts?"

Thornton scoffed; he never did like losing. "He got lucky."

Wanda went to Cosmo's aid, seeing the disappointment clear in his face. His self-doubt ended up being his biggest downfall, and though the whole game was just harmless fun, Cosmo felt as worthless as the dirt on his shoe. "Aww, cheer up honey." Wanda soothed, rubbing his cheek with her thumb. "It's just a game."

"…but I wanted a fair chance." Cosmo frowned. "I couldn't make not one shot…"

Cosmo might have felt sorry for himself, but Wanda knew just the thing to turn his frown upside-down.

She pointed her index and flicked his bottom lip up and down, waiting for him to realize what she was doing. His eyes slowly lifted to her the longer she went on, his lips curling until he couldn't help but laugh, gently pushing her finger away as she chuckled.

**. . . . . .**

Continuing through Fairy Fest, Rose saw a Balloon Darts booth, seeing a few participants attempt to pop the variety of colored balloons with tiny projectiles. Since the boys had their little fun rivalry, Rose figured why have a little fun between her best gal pals.

"Hey, girls!" Rose flew passed Wanda and Susie to face them, pointing to the Balloon Darts booth. "Let's say we have our own competition over there!"

It didn't take long for Susie to make her decision. "That sounds like a fun idea!"

"What're the stakes?" Wanda inquired.

"How about winner gets front seats on Zero-G!" Susie proposed.

"Yaaaaaaas!" Rose excitedly agreed. "I _love_ rollercoasters!"

Making their way over, the employee reset the booth from the previous game, preparing for new customers. Alewandro took out his wallet to get three dollars for the game. "Here." He traded Susie's teddy bear in her arms with three-dollar bills in her hand. "It's on me."

"Me, too!" Cosmo gave Wanda his three dollars, receiving a cheek peck as a thank you.

Spike heard Thornton clear his throat beside him, turning to his sneaky grin. "…yes?"

"Don't you have three dollars you'd like to give?" Thornton elbowed Spike's shoulder, hinting towards Rose.

"Actually," Rose grinned, holding out her hand to Thornton. "I want _your_ three dollars, best friend."

" _My_ three dollars?" Thornton questioned. "For why?!"

"Because you still owe me for those cokes I bought you the other day." Rose reminded. "Don't act like you forgot."

"Dammit…" Thornton smacked his lips, digging through his pockets for his wallet. So much for his scheme working out the way he hoped.

The employee of the booth accepted all three of the girls' payments and instructed them to hover over the marked X's quite a bit of ways from the wooden backdrop curtained with balloons. As he explained the rules, he gave them five darts each with the goal being to pop at least three out of five balloons to win a prize. Wanda floated in the middle with Rose to her left and Susie to her right, and with darts in hand, the employee gave the greenlight for them to start.

The size of the balloons appeared deceiving; they looked large enough to be easy targets, yet the way they were spaced out proved challenging to aim at the weakest spots. None of the girls ever threw darts before which added an extra challenge to the game, and while it was assumed to be a leveled playing field, Wanda quickly figured out that in order to increase her probability of winning, she'd have to aim for the more inflated balloons.

Susie gave a valiant effort by popping one balloon, yet two of her darts weren't strong enough to pop the balloons, one hit the wooden backdrop merely centimeters away from its target, and one balloon simply hit the ground. Rose stood more of a chance with succeeding in her first two attempts, but her third and fourth attempt hit balloons that weren't as inflated, causing her darts to bounce off, and one dart practically flew over the board in her attempt to aim for the highest balloon. Wanda used her first two shots to determine what it sounded like when a balloon had more air, and using her best judgement in sizing the balloons with her eyes, her final three shots popped every balloon they aimed for, thus Wanda came out victorious.

"Looks like we gotta winner!" the employee announced, showing the wall filled with prizes. "Take ya pic!"

Not giving much thought, Wanda went for the pink stuffed unicorn, hearing Cosmo's happy cheers in the background "Yaaaaaaaaaaay, we get front seats!"

"Nice job, Wandie." Thornton congratulated as Wanda approached the group. "Didn't know you were a good shot!"

"I'm actually not." Wanda humbly admitted. "Just trial and error mostly."

"Ha, we better not ever piss Wanda off or else she'll dart our eyes out." Rose joked, making everyone join in laughter.

**. . . . . .**

A long line of customers snaked behind the gates as the Odd-Squad awaited their turn for 'Fairy Speedway', a 1,200-meter track of road twisted with multiple turns and hills, electric-powered karts available for drivers for faster races. Guests had the options of double-seated karts for two adults or fairies who wanted to take their little ones along for the ride, and single seat karts varied in both color and, in some cases, speed depending on who paid attention to the faster karts.

The Odd-Squad were up next after the four more laps, each having bought two rides in the event one didn't satisfy their need for speed. They participated in a few more carnival games and enjoyed the steep drops, snaky twists, and high vertical and lateral Gs of Zero-G before they all decided to pay Fairy Speedway a visit. Cosmo watched the double-seated karts, noting how they weren't much slower than the one-seaters yet not fast enough to win a race if competing against them. To Cosmo, that didn't matter all that much, as long as he got to share a kart with the fairy he loved.

"Wanna drive one of those double karts?" Cosmo asked Wanda floating beside him.

"Sure, sweetie." Wanda smiled. "I'd like that."

"Good; I'm driving!" Cosmo proudly stated. "It's good practice for when I actually get a car!"

"Hey, we should do that, too!" Susie suggested, tugging Alewandro's jean jacket to get his attention. x

"Ooooh, how about a race?!" Cosmo added, turning to the other couple behind him. Basketball may not have been his thing, but driving definitely was. "What do ya say, Wandro?"

"Come ooonnnn." Susie egged on, shaking Alewandro in place. "Let's do iiiiiiiit."

Leaving the two official couples to their own game, Rose turned to the two boys engaged in harmless trash talk behind her.

"You're goin' down, Stars 'n Spikes!" Thornton mocked.

"Oh yeah, Carrot Top?!" Spike teased in return. "Try sayin' that while lookin' at the back of my kart the whole time!"

"Aight then, talk yo' mess!" Thornton bantered. "Just don't say nothin' when I take first place!"

"Or when _I_ take first place."

Spike and Thornton looked to marmalade fairy floating before them, crossing her arms in confidence. "That is…if you guys aren't afraid to lose to a girl." Rose smiled tauntingly.

"Pssh, girl please." Thornton scoffed. "I'll take on both of ya no problem!"

"Wanna put money on it?" Spike probed, raising the stakes.

"Whatcha thinkin'?" Thornton considered.

"Whoever wins gets $20 from the losers." Spike recommended.

Pretending to size him up, Rose flew to Spike to where she was just inches away, meeting Spike's blue eyes with her teal. He watched as brushed her finger just beneath his chin, the sudden nervousness in his stare raising a side smile in her lips. "…better have my $20 bill ready, then."

As Rose graciously turned away to hover next to Susie and Alewandro, Thornton went to pat Spike's frozen shoulder, humored by his friend's obvious butterflies, and leaning in to Spike's ear, he whispered "Hella sprung than a mofo."

Spike met Thornton's teasing gaze with an irritated side-eye. "Howa 'bout you worry about that $20 you're about to lose!"

"Ha!" Thornton laughed as the previous participants exited their karts when their race ended. "You mean the easiest $40 I ever made!"

The employee by the gate marked each of the next racers' tickets with a black marker upon entry, Cosmo and Wanda being the first out of their group. He immediately gravitated to the lime-green double seater sitting in front as Wanda followed behind, and Susie and Alewandro took the sky-blue kart sitting in second. Thornton chose a burgundy single seat since someone else already occupied the kart in the very front, and while Spike chose the neon-yellow kart just two spots in front of Thornton, Rose took the baby-pink kart behind him.

Cosmo observed the vehicle as Wanda buckled herself in the passenger seat, staring down at the pedals marked green and red respectively. "Which one's the gas and which is the break?"

"Green means go, and red means stop." Wanda explained. "The pedals are set up like a normal car."

"Ooooooh, cool." Cosmo noticed Wanda had her own steering wheel. "Why do you have a steering wheel?"

"Well, normally double seaters are for parents and their kids." Wanda also explained. "It's so kids can feel included."

"How would they not feel included?" Cosmo wondered. "They'd be sitting in the karts too, right?"

"Cosmo, that's not…" Wanda paused, seeing no point in explaining further. "…never mind. Just focus on driving, okay?"

"Yooooooou got it, pilot!" Cosmo saluted, pretending he was already on the road as he turned the steering wheel, making his own engine sounds.

As other racers buckled themselves in anticipation of the race to come, Susie sighed at her boyfriend seemingly lost in his thoughts as he twirled the draw-string to his hoody. She knew he had to be mulling over the intense argument with Juandissimo just hours prior. Even if he appeared present in the moment and had little moments where he allowed himself to have fun, he was much quieter than usual.

Susie laced a gentle hand over his, making him meet her concerned gaze. "Wanna talk about it?"

Alewandro sighed; he didn't want the situation to bother him as much as it did. "…I sick of him calling Cosmo a snake and villainizing Wanda…"

"I'm sick of it too, to be honest." Susie admitted. "He's been doin' the most dissin' my best friends like that."

"…I just got so angry…" Alewandro continued, lowering his stare. "…he called me a traitor…"

"That's the farthest from the truth!" Susie squeezed his hand. "You're not a traitor and he knows it; he's just placing blame."

"…I told him we should not be roommates next semester because it is exhausting being around someone as irritatingly miserable as him…and the look in his eyes…felt as if I stabbed him in the heart…"

"You're justified though; it _is_ exhausting being around someone like him."

"…I just cannot help him."

"You can't help anyone who doesn't wanna be helped."

He knew Susie was right; in the times where his flashbacks and nightmares first started, their parents tried time and time again to convince Juandissimo to seek therapy. Every single time, however, he'd refuse, seeing no benefit in talking to a completely stranger about his problems.

Alewandro creased his brow. He didn't want to feel this way about his own brother, he didn't want to hate him, yet every fiber of his being almost wished he went back to being an only child... "…I cannot stand to be around him…"

"You can stay with me sometimes." Susie swayed. "Only if you want."

"…what about your RAs?" Alewandro considered. "And Minty?"

Susie responded with a tiny laugh. "Pisces Hall RAs couldn't give two cares and a crap, and I couldn't give two cares and a crap about Minty, so here we are." She felt accomplished when Alewandro responded with his own chuckle. "Ha, made ya laugh."

This was why he loved Susie; even in his darkest moments, she always knew how to bring him back to the light. Caressing her hand in his, he gently brought her hand for his lips to kiss. "Gracias for being so understanding…"

"…Always."

With everyone fastened in their karts, one employee stood in between the rail of the second and third lane, using the PA system to explain the rules of the road over the intercom. When finished, switched the traffic light from red to green, signaling the double-seaters to go first. With the hissing of a spaceship revving their electric engines, Cosmo and Wanda entered the first turn with Alewandro and Susie on their tail, and once the single-seaters were released, the true race began.

Feeling high speeds blowing passed his cheeks, Spike held the lead in the first and second turns, slowing down to hug the curve before pumping the gas out of the turn to gain more speed. He was able to pass other drivers to gain first place among the single-seat karts, until coming into the third fourth turn when Thornton attempted to cut Spike off from inside the curve. Having caught sight of this, Spike sharply turned the wheel to keep Thornton behind him.

Over the course of two laps, Spike and Thornton played the same song and dance of Thornton doing everything he can to pass Spike to no avail, but little did they know, Rose kept the distance between them minimal, waiting for the right opportunity to steal the lead. There was an opening just large enough for her car to pass Thornton's left in side the curve, so after releasing the gas, she stomped her foot to give her kart an extra boost, cutting him off. Thornton was shocked at first, surprised how Rose got the upper hand, but he didn't have much time to react; he needed to catch up.

Spike smiled in confidence, maintaining his lead with ease, unaware that Rose high tailed behind him, driving one of the faster karts. Coming up on a turn, Rose's kart accelerated in speed long the straight and narrow, and she attempted to go outside of Spike to round him off, except Spike saw this coming, remembering not to let his guard down. The next three laps consisted of Spike and Rose fighting for first place; little do they know, Thornton managed to fight his way to the third position. It seemed Thornton would have to take the more aggressive route if he was to stand any chance against Spike and Rose, and despite bumping and spinning other karts were part of the 'do not' rule, he assumed the innocent racers would understand. No one paid much attention to the rules anyway.

For the next four laps, Rose stuck to Spike's tail, almost passing him a few times. Thornton tried to pass Rose, but Rose either cut him off or deliberately smashed the break to bump Thornton from the front, knocking him down a few pegs. All she had to do was figure out how to get around Spike and she could snag the lead. His persistence proved to be quite a challenge, but she was determined. Cute or not, she wasn't going to go easy on him. So once the employees signaled to the racers that they were coming up on their last lap, following behind Spike gave Rose time to observe his actions to devise a plan to finally get around him.

Hugging the curves was Spike's ticket to keeping the lead, so if she was to pass him, she'd have to get on the inside before he merged into the direction of the curve, and to do this, she'd have to time the window of opportunity just right. They sped towards the first curve of the track, her foot practically smashing through the gas pedal trying to close the gap. Out of his peripherals, Spike noticed Rose driving beside him, seeing her arrogant smile as if she had a scheme up her sleeves. He turned the wheel in attempts for his wheels to bump hers to spin her out, but Rose saw this coming and sharply turned her wheel to crash her bumper with the side of his kart, knocking him off balance as she sped into first place.

It might as well have been Rose as the lone car just by how much of a lead she held from the rest of the drivers. Cursing himself Spike knew his chances of regaining the lead on the last lap were quite slim, but that didn't mean he wouldn't try anyway. Losing $20 on the last lap was embarrassing, laughable even. His kart had some get-up and go, though not enough to catch up to Rose's speed machine, and once the karts automatically loss speed approaching the gates, Rose gleamed ear-to-ear.

Each kart pulled into the separate lanes with employees designating double-seaters from singles. When all the karts were accounted for, the employees gave the go ahead for the participants to unbuckle and exit the karts. Out of the double-seaters, Alewandro and Susie came in first place, and the only reason they came in first place is because Cosmo didn't know to pull inside the turns to gain more momentum. Alewandro zoomed passed Cosmo on the first turn, and the whole race was Cosmo playing catchup.

Cosmo held Wanda's hand, leading her to the exit gate, with Susie hugging Alewandro's arm. Rose flew over to the exit and leaned against the gate, watching the two losers stare at her with disappointed eyes much to her humor. As they approached, she smiled smugly as she held out her hand as if to say "Gimmie my money," and both boys begrudgingly reached into their pockets and pulled out $20 bills, handing them over.

Spike and Thornton couldn't believe they really just lost…to a girl.

**. . . . . .**

Time flew by in their merriment, and as day receded into evening, the Odd-Squad chose to end their Fairy Fest adventures with one of the main attractions of the fair; Fairy Ferris Wheel. The long lines slowly loomed ahead as the giant wheel began its final rotation. The white cabins were two-seaters, so obviously, Cosmo would sit with Wanda and Alewandro would sit with Susie. The question was…who would Rose sit with?

Pretty sure we all know at this point.

Taking Spike by the arm, Thornton positioned him where he floated right next to Rose, receiving a quizzical expression from Spike. If Spike didn't know any better, he could have sworn Thornton had been trying his best all day to play match-maker.

Not that he was upset by the idea of sitting with Rose, but the idea of sitting with Rose made his stomach churn. There'd be nowhere for him to go unless he used his wand to disappear, looking like a coward. She'd be right there…next to him…easy access…and he'd be hers…next to her…even easier access. Despite how crazy he probably looked to her, she smiled at him. A friendly, welcoming smile. She didn't push him away, she didn't grumble in disgust. She seemed calm about it…why would he be nervous? It was just Rose. She was his friend, a cool, down-ass chick. He had nothing to be nervous about…

He wished the butterflies in his stomach knew that.

The cabins were cleared one at a time for the cabins to accept new passengers. Cosmo and Wanda were the first, followed by Alewandro and Susie. As one couple exited the cabins, Spike and Rose were instructed to enter, and Spike caught a glimpse of Thornton's annoying wink before their cabin ascended into the air.

Awkward silence befell the two at first, both unsure how to go about such a personal moment. There weren't many circumstances which brought Rose and Spike together, separated from the rest of the group. They weren't used to these moments, and yet, they both wished deep down that they happened more often.

Other fairies and attractions shrunk smaller and smaller the higher they ascended, embracing the skies. Spike turned to Rose who seemed entranced by the scenic view of the setting sun, it's golden and auburn ombre rays painting the pinks skies in warm magentas. The sun's light bounced against her skin, casting a golden glow which only enhanced her beauty.

"…Um…so." Spike began, trying to think of something to talk about. "…you…ever been on a Ferris Wheel before?"

"…no." Rose simply replied, more coy than her usual confident demeanor from earlier. "…you?"

"No." Spike scratched the side of his head; why was small talk so difficult? "…you likin' the view?"

"I am." Rose faintly smiled. "It's nice."

"That it is…"

Another awkward moment of silence. "…So…can I ask you a random question?"

"Of course." Rose solemnly answered. "Ask away.

Spike didn't know if he should ask such a daring question, but he was genuinely curious to know her response. "…what do you like in a guy?"

It became Rose's turn to blush. She wondered if he was asking hypothetically or…if he phrased the question in a way to divert from referring to himself directly. "…well…" she eyed the hands ruffling her skirt before she met Spike's gaze. "…I usually go by the three S's."

He raised a curious brow. "…which are?"

"Smarts, style, and sense of humor."

For a second, he wondered if there was any correlation. Smart? Yeah, maybe. Style? He figured his style was 'unique' comparatively. Sense of humor? Pssh, no question there; he loved a good laugh and liked making others laugh every now and then. "Hmm…that's interesting."

"Mmhm." Rose wondered if he wondered whether there was a correlation. "…you think you check those boxes?"

"…U-um…." Spike lost his words, making Rose giggle in response. What did she hope to gain from asking such a simple yet loaded question?

Cosmo allowed Wanda to rest her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes as his tender hand stroked her cheek. The last few hours have been non-stop fun and excitement, and their bodies were starting to feel the toll of the day's rush. A break from it all was just what they needed; a gentle breeze swayed through the air, the backdrop of stars adding extra light as the sun continued to set. Thrilled screams and crowd chatter drowned in the stillness of quiet, almost as if a different world lived beneath them.

Just when nothing could ruin such tranquility, Cosmo's phone vibrated in his pocket. Wanda's tired eyes blinked as Cosmo reached to get his phone, and she lifted her head to Cosmo as he groaned, immediately sending the unwanted call to voicemail. The ones he mainly associated with were all at Fairy Fest, and Cosmo would never ignore a call from Mr. Wonka, so Wanda had no clue who's call Cosmo ignored. "…who was it, sweetie?"

Cosmo had made no prior mention of any contact he had with his mother. He didn't know how she'd react considering her last interaction with her was…unpleasant, from what he was told. He figured she'd find out eventually, he just didn't think eventually meant in that moment. "…m-my mom."

"…Mama Cosma?"

Cosmo nodded. "…she's been talking to me…even ran into me at one of my shifts at the Diner."

Wanda was surprised Cosmo kept that from her; he never kept anything from her, so why would he start now? "…has she done anything to you?"

"No." Cosmo assured, aware Wanda meant whether Mama Cosma laid another hand or yelled at him…two things he's never said 'no' to before. "…but I don't know how to get her to just go away…"

"You could try blocking her again?" Wanda mentioned.

"That won't stop her from seeing me in public, though." Cosmo pointed out. "She knows where I work now..."

When Cosmo mentioned he moved from under Mama Cosma's roof, she assumed he moved from under her clutches for good. For whatever reason as to why she practically harassed her son, Wanda wouldn't put it past her to have ulterior motives. It was Mama Cosma, after all.

"…sweetie, maybe you should stand up to her." Wanda laid a consoling hand on his shoulder. "Tell her to stop once in for all."

"…I know." Cosmo lowered his eyes. "But I don't know how."

"You're not the same little boy she can push over anymore." Wanda tenderly reminded, hoping to give Cosmo some reassurance. "She can't just force her way back in your life, especially when you don't want her to." She used her finger to lift his chin to her, peering into his green orbs. "If you're not ready for that conversation right now, that's okay. But eventually, you two have to have that conversation, and you have to make it clear to her that she no longer has any control over you."

Wanda's way with words always quieted his chaos. He appreciated her patience, knowing how his attempts to stand up to Mama Cosma in the past weren't successful and almost lethal. Memories of those times haunted him still, only when he allowed himself to remanence in the violence. Then again, if she were the 'old' Mama Cosma, wouldn't she have dragged him back home by his ear by now? Wouldn't she have done a lot more than she has to regain her control?

Cosmo still had love for his mother, but his love for her wasn't enough to fall under her influence again. Wanda was right, eventually he'd have to have that conversation with her that he can't afford to have her in his life. The risk of losing Wanda again was just too great. Staring into her peaceful, pink eyes, he knew that confronting his mother would not only prove how much of a man he became to his mother, it would show just how much of a man Wanda helped him become.

When the day of that conversation comes…he had to be ready to stand his ground at all costs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I was editing pre-written chapters and writing new chapters (including this one,) I've come to realize just how much of a squad they really are. I love them all together (even with Alewandro in the mix) and I love all of them hanging out and just vibing off each other. It's so cute.  
> This chapter, obviously, is comparatively light, and that was obviously the intention. Chapter 8 is pretty light in some parts, but after that...man. It gets real.


	8. Chapter 8

Rose lowered herself to kick a few autumn leaves sprinkled along the stone paths of campus. Hands grasped over the strands of her backpack, she hummed a simple tune to herself. Another day listening to boring lectures, another day drowning in homework. It's not that she hated school, she loved it. Just…not on days she'd rather sit in her pajamas and watch cartoons with a cold bowl of cereal which _always_ sounded more appealing than learning.

Sitting alone on a bench not too far from Taurus Hall, Rose spotted her favorite spikey blue-haired fairy reading a book. Her heart suddenly fluttered from the sight of him, giddiness swimming in her stomach. Over the last four weeks, coming in contact with Spike triggered the same feeling as shivering underneath a heated blanket. His presence warmed her soul, goosebumps rising in her skin. She tried her best to hide it, but she hadn't felt like this about someone in the longest time…a familiarly unfamiliar sensation.

Maybe she should go say 'hi.'

Skimming through text he obligately didn't want to read, his earbuds filled the double kicks of 'Empire of the Crown' in his ears. He once presumed he majored in a bunch of math, yet with all the endless amount of required reading he'd been given so far, he wondered if he really majored in reading until his eyes bled. Math was more his niche than reading; give him equations to solve, and he'd be content for hours. Reading? Might as well ask him to watch paint dry.

A tug of his earbud diverted his attention, looking up to see those lovely teal eyes smiling down at him. She gestured with a coy wave as he took out his bud, and all he could do was smile back. "Well, well, look who we have here." Spike greeted teasingly, closing his textbook. "What brings you my way, madam?"

"Pretending to study, I see?" Rose asked with a sly smile.

Spike pretended to be offended. "How do _you_ know I'm not actually studying?"

"Oh, please." Rose mocked in a half-joking way. "You're way too smart to study."

"Ha, I wish." Spike chuckled. "All jokes aside, where ya headed?"

"Nowhere important." Rose replied, tucking a lose strand of hair behind her ear. She looked back and forth between him and his backpack taking up the extra space on the bench. "…mind if I sit?"

He humbly responded by moving his backpack to the other side of him. "You know you don't have to ask."

She thanked him with a warm smile as she took her seat, removing her own backpack to lean back against the wooden backrest. "So whatcha reading?"

He re-opened his textbook to the page where he left off, leaving his earbuds draped over his shoulder. "Just something for my History of Magic class."

"Ah." She nodded in understanding. "Cool."

"…as a blizzard." Spike scoffed, making Rose giggle at such a lame joke.

"Do you ever _not_ have jokes?" Rose mockingly asked.

Spike glanced to Rose, his lips curved in a side smile. "You didn't know? I have a whole damn arsenal in my back pocket."

Sarcastically rolling her eyes, Rose watched Spike turn back to his textbook. She loved how he always gave her a reason to laugh. He didn't seem so anxious around her anymore; he acted more…confident. Perhaps he had gotten just as comfortable with her as she had with him.

Brief silence befell the two as Spike rested his chin in his palm. If there was any excuse to not die of boredom reading some stupid book, talking to Rose was always a good one, so when he felt her eyes staring at him, he veered his eyes back to her as he playfully asked "…what? Something on my face?"

Rose used a gentle finger to trace along his jawline, her voice as soft as her touch. "…just how cute you are..."

Cobalt-blue held the tender gaze of her teal, suddenly unable to look away. Never did he ever expect to hear those words from a woman so beautiful as a wave of strong desire washed over him, urging him to lean closer to her. Never did she think she'd soften by the mere existence of a man so charming, wishing the distance between them disappeared. Their bodies subconsciously grew nearer, Rose tilting her head as a sign to come closer, and Spike took this cue to lean in, closing his eyes as the gentle of their lips meshed.

As soon as they closed the gap between them, Spike swiftly pulled away, blinking rapidly.

…He just had his first kiss.

"…Spike?"

He met her curious stare, trying his best to hide the embarrassment threatening to blush his cheeks. "…Um…I-I gotta go."

He scrambled to gather his belongings as Rose continued to question him with her eyes, wondering if she did something wrong, and in pulling his wand out of his back pocket, he disappeared in a cloud of blue.

**. . . . . .**

With his knees curled to his chest, Spike sat on his bed, stuck in his thoughts. He cursed himself for being so weak, running away like a coward. He probably looked really stupid to her…sure, it seemed like she wanted to kiss him, but did she really? Did he cross a boundary he wasn't supposed to cross? He couldn't really tell by the quizzical look in her eye. Then again, he couldn't tell a lot of things; he hauled-ass so fast that anything hardly registered in his head.

…how could ever look at her the same again?

How could _she_ ever look at _him_ the same?

Unlocking the door, Cosmo flew into the room, closing the door as he greeted Spike. When no response came, Cosmo floated further in the room to see Spike on his bed, bothered by something. "…Hey, Spike." He called out once more, waiting for Spike to acknowledge him before he asked "You okay?"

Yet Spike simply lowered his eyes to his sheets in shame, drawing his knees closer to him. "Don't worry about it…"

Not accepting his answer, Cosmo huffed as he folded his arms. He never considered Spike to be an open book, but as his best friend, he somewhat expected Spike to feel he can talk to him about anything. Sure, he may not always understand or may not have any real advice, but he could at least try to listen. Spike never liked when Cosmo kept anything from him, so how did he expect Cosmo to feel when he did the same thing he hated anyone doing to him?

When Spike glanced back to his best friend, he sighed at the sight of Cosmo's small pout of his lip. "…you're not gonna leave me alone, are you?" he asked as a statement.

"Not until you tell me what's wrong." Cosmo stated, firm in his stance.

Spike wondered why he even asked. "…so…question."

Cosmo perked up with his arms by his sides. "Yeah?"

Spike paused, figuring how to ask what was whirling through his mind. "…how did you know…you wanted to date Wanda?"

"Wait, you wanna date Wanda?!"

"…no…um…" Spike clarified before he nervously cleared his throat. "…I'm asking for a friend."

"You have another friend who wants to date Wanda?!"

"Cosmo, just answer the question please…" Spike grumbled as he palmed his face impatiently. Sometimes Cosmo took things a little too literally.

"Hmm…" Cosmo momentarily scrunched his brow in thought. "…I think…I wanted to date Wanda when I realized she was my other half."

"Other half?" Spike questioned, not fully understanding. "Like, how?"

"Well, when Wanda's not with me, I feel kind of…empty…like something's missing." Cosmo explained. "…but when I'm around her, it normally doesn't matter if I'm in a good mood or not because she always fills the void, and when I realized only Wanda made me feel that way, I knew she was my other half."

Hearing that led Spike to consider if the same applied to how he felt about Rose; in the past, he has felt a bit of a void. Could have been a result of his mother depriving him of her love, leaving him in the dust when he was seven. Point being, something always felt like it was missing, and he could never pinpoint exactly what that was. Once he met Rose, her whole aura felt like the missing piece to his puzzle, and no other girl ever made him feel that way, not even those silly crushes he'd have on random girls when he was younger.

When he and Rose kissed, though a brief moment in time, felt as if such a moment lasted longer than forever. Almost as if everything around him, space and time, froze in place, and everything outside of her existence disappeared. His heart practically skipped a beat, and his stomach squirmed as if he were ticklish from inside. Could that have been what Cosmo was talking about? He's heard many times how he and Wanda met and how their relationship became what it is…some of the same things happening to him happened to Cosmo…so…

Did this mean Rose was his other half?

"…Spike?"

"Hmm?"

"Did I answer your question?"

His mind reeled with so many thoughts, he almost forgot Cosmo was still hovering before him. "Uh…yeah, bro. You did."

"Yay!" Cosmo gleamed, proud he managed to be more helpful than hurtful. "Now, if you'll excuse me; I gotta get ready to slave my life away at work. Again."

While Cosmo flew to his drawer to change into his work uniform, Spike returned to his thoughts. There was no denying it now…Rose was one of the first things he'd think about in the morning, and one of the last things on his mind before he'd fall asleep. He could truly be himself around her, and she could always make him smile. It was crazy to him how one fairy did this to him, and what was crazier was how it happened in just three months.

And what about Rose? Did she feel the same way? If so…what were the signs? Maybe it was in the kiss…if she didn't want it to happen, she would have pushed him away, yet she leaned closer, almost as if she longed for him to kiss her. And if that was the case…

He had to come to a realization he couldn't ignore any longer.

* * *

Floating through the evergreen shrubs and plush branches of the Enchanted Forest, Thornton and Rose drank the frosties bought from the student union. After Spike's disappearance, she called Thornton and asked him to take a walk with her because she wanted a second opinion from someone guaranteed to be upfront with her. Throughout their friendship, they found they could always turn to each other for anything, whether just to vent or to solicit honest advice. Seeing as how Thornton just so happened to be free in her hour of need, she came to him, knowing he'd speak more from hard evidence than bias.

"Do you think I did something wrong?" Rose asked as Thornton took another sip of blue-raspberry through his straw. "He ran away so fast…"

"Nah, like I keep tellin' you, he has crush on you." Thornton assured, Rose drinking her own strawberry-melon flavored ice. "And like I keep tellin' _you_ , miss ma'am," Thornton pointed, tapping Rose on the side of her head. "you're crushin' on 'em too."

Rose averted her eyes. She expected nothing but the truth but Thornton, yet the truth seemed all too real coming from him.

"Y'all just need to stop playin' these games." Thornton continued. "Even Coz can see how much y'all feelin' each other."

"I mean…" Rose hesitantly met his stare. "…you're not wrong."

"Okay so what's the holdup?"

"…I don't want to go through what I went through with Zimmerman…"

Thornton knew all too well who Zimmerman was, instantly reminded of all the pain and suffering his best friend endured dating that creep.

On one hand Thornton understood Rose's anticipation. Loving someone again after going through what she went through wouldn't be easy. Giving love another chance after experiencing all the wrong examples of what love is, if he had that experience, he wouldn't dare expose his heart to that kind of peril again. On another hand, he's had multiple chances to get to know Spike over the last few months. They share many of their classes, so they're always working on their homework together. Considering other instances of hanging out alone, with Cosmo, or with the group, Thornton had a pretty good grasp of Spike's morals and personality.

"You think Spike's like Zimmerman?"

"From what I've seen so far, no…" Rose admitted. "But you remember why I fell in love with Zimmerman in the first place…he was so nice…so funny…in the beginning…" she lowered her gaze once more. "…a lot like Spike…"

"I get why you wouldn't trust it, but I can attest that Spike is no Zimmerman." Thornton ensured. "Otherwise, I doubt he'd have a best friend like Cosmo. You think someone like Cosmo would associate with someone like Zimmerman?"

"Cosmo can be kind of gullible, sometimes." Rose mentioned. "But, if you put it like that, I don't think Wanda would let Cosmo stick around someone like him."

"Do you trust Spike?"

Rose turned to her best friend, considering some other more personal details of her life that Spike has respected and kept in confidence. "I do."

"So you don't even hafta question it, then."

Maybe she didn't. Perhaps Spike entering her life was meant to show her that not all men are pure, vindictive devils and that good men still existed. She'd known him for all of almost four months, talking almost every day. So far, no reason has he ever given her to distrust him, nor had he given her any proof of impure intentions.

Taking everything into consideration, Rose knew questioning only delayed the inevitable.

* * *

_He was floating in a void...running on empty...surrounded by darkness...silence so loud...the drum of his heart hardly pumped blood through his veins…lungs suffocating..._

_He couldn't breathe...couldn't see past the black clouds...floating in a void...slowly...freely..._

_No noise...no sound…deaf...the world around him was silent...no other souls around me...alone...so alone...every sense in in body fell numb...he couldn't feel anything…couldn't see anything…_

_…until a tiny speckle of light appeared…_

_Swimming in the abyss…he waded towards the light…hoping for some kind of answer to where he was…or where he thought he was…or what was going on…Shimmers grew wider…floating closer…eyes burning in the presence of such a potent glow…darkness slowly faded around him…black fading into white…_

_Air sucked into his aching lungs like a vacuum…mind spinning…Nothing below, nothing above, nothing beside him…he was but a dot in a world of white…he turned to his left and to his right…lost in unfamiliar surroundings…_

_…until he saw her._

_A familiar angel, always near...soft, lilac eyes…silk, golden brown skin…long flowing black waves…porcelain smile melting the ice surrounding his heart…He reached out to her…a longing hand stretched towards her…but her wings floated farther away…fading away…_

_…until blood coated his vision…_

_…her blood…_

_…lilac orbs frosted in a deathly grey…mouth agape as a river of red pooled down her lips…red tears gushing from the slash on her neck…her body drenched in the same substance that once sustained her life…_

_…he looked down to see the same substance painted in his palms-_

Ringing shocked his senses into reality, vibrating on his desk. Juandissimo inhaled a quivering breath, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead as he read Cupid's caller ID across his phone. He lifted himself off his sheets into a sitting position, rubbing restless sleep from his eyes, and he managed to control his breathing before he took his phone to answer the unexpected call in a sullen groan. "…yes?"

"Juan!" Cupid excitedly greeted, Juandissimo's ear not prepared for such glee. "Come open your door, pretty please."

"…why?"

"I'm standing outside." Cupid replied, Juandissimo scooting to where his legs hung off the bedside. "I have something I wanna ask you!"

He kept his eyes closed as he held his forehead in hand propped on his knee. "…why can you not just text or something?"

"Just come open the door!" Cupid playfully complained; Juandissimo could hear the lip pout through the phone. "Pleeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaassssse?"

Juandissimo released a heavy groan. After that weird dream, maybe him interrupting his nap was a good thing. "...fine…hold on…"

"Thank youuuuuuuuuuuuuu! You so _niiiiiiiiiiiiiccceeeeee_!"

Ending the call, Juandissimo set his phone back on his desk as he forced himself off his bed. He hovered to his door through the subtle darkness of early evening in his room, and he turned the knob and unhooked the deadbolt before opening the door.

As expected, Cupid stood before him, and unexpectedly to Cupid, his eyes were graced with the view of bare chest pecs and washboard abs, biceps bulging through his chestnut skin. The sight of a shirtless man in gym shorts hypnotized him in a teasing way. Oh, the things he would do to such a hunk of a bod-

"What was it you wanted to ask…"

"What?" Cupid shook the daze out of his head. "Oh yeah." Clearing his throat, Cupid began with a friendly smirk. "Get dressed." He lowkey didn't want him to. "I want you to come meet my girl-friends at the student union."

Juandissimo's expression turned perplexed. The last thing he wanted was anything to do with being social. "Why?"

"I think you could use a little pick-me up!" Cupid replied. "Plus, I already told the girls I was bringing someone."

"…Why can you not take someone else?"

"Because _you_ are that someone else, and I'm not leaving until you agree to come with me."

For the weeks Juandissimo had known Cupid, that statement was definitely true. Cupid's tenacity was his blessing and his curse. "...fine…" Juandissimo sighed, too tired to refute. "…give me a minute…"

"You da beeeessssst, Juan!" Cupid thanked as Juandissimo turned away to his drawer for a shirt. "And wear something cute; we're going out for drinks later."

Juandissimo shot an irritated glare. "…Seriously?!"

"Yes! Now chop, chop!" Cupid rushed with a wave of his hand. "I'm already running late!"

**. . . . . .**

A few other groups of students mingled throughout the food court area of the student union, chatting about random gossip or working on homework over a bite to eat. Entering through one of the automated double door entrances, Cupid dragged Juandissimo by the hand through the crowd, scanning the tables for where he was to meet his girl-friends. Passed the area of restaurants and fast-food shops, Cupid spotted Blonda and the Gemstone triplets over by the corner next to the giant glass windows, seated at a round table in their own conversation.

Just as Cupid was about to head over to their table, his flight was halted with a tug of someone holding him back, turning to see the hesitancy in Juandissimo's eyes. "Juan, what's wrong?"

"…are those the 'girl-friends' you were referring to?" Juandissimo quietly asked, motioning to the four girls he wasn't emotionally prepared to be around.

"Uh, yeah?" Cupid raised a brow. "What, you know them or something?"

"Um…" Juandissimo cautious gaze turned to Cupid. "…you can say that."

"Oh great! I don't have to do any introductions!" Cupid beamed, oblivious to Juandissimo's reluctance to approach as he dragged Juandissimo towards the table despite his resistance. "Now c'mon! Don't wanna keep them waiting, do you, silly?!"

Blonda looked over Ruby's shoulder at a picture Ruby felt was funny enough to share while Sapphire and Amethyst conversed about arbitrary new Pop songs coming out. When she looked up from Ruby's screen, Blonda's semi good mood soon turned sour when her eyes stumbled upon an unfortunately familiar face next to Cupid. Out of all the people Cupid could have invited, it just _had_ to be him…

Noticing Blonda's change in facial expression, Ruby saw Cupid waving towards them, and she nudged Sapphire's shoulder to get her sister's attention, directing them towards the unwanted guest. "Unbelievable…" she muttered under her breath, both she and her sisters matching Blonda's unforgiving glare.

"Hey, ladies!" Cupid greeted, pulling Juandissimo to hover beside him. "Juan tells you know each other!" His enthusiastic smile faded in the realization of their creased brows and crossed arms. "…what with you guys?!"

"He needs to go." Amethyst frankly stated, lilac eyes stabbing deeper daggers into Juandissimo's ego. "Send him back to the hellhole he came from."

All four of their scowls of disdain made their spitefulness towards him crystal clear, sinking in the weight of their anger, and he wasn't one to overstay his welcome. Jerking his hand from Cupid's grip, Juandissimo attempted to leave, but Cupid regained his hold, still confused about all the animosity between the five fairies he considered his friends. "Juan, don't go!"

"Let him go." Blonda spat, making sure the dismay in Juandissimo's eyes were on her as she spat "No one wants him here."

This is exactly why he shouldn't have come; if he'd known Cupid was meeting the four fairies he had no doubt absolutely despised his guts, he'd find some way to talk himself out of it. Coming face to face with the girl he once felt so connected, he felt so distant from her as if she were a stranger. He never wanted to hurt Blonda, but could she really blame him for doing what he did? She wanted more than he had to give, even she had to realize that.

Yet instead, she shunned him for not being good enough, her victim mentality painting him as the villain, and now her army of gemstones fueled just as much if not more hatred his way. Since Cupid seemed pretty friendly with them, he wouldn't be surprised if Cupid turned on him as well. Cupid didn't really strike him as the gullible type, but he an inkling he could potentially be easily persuaded.

At this point, he didn't know which was worse…dreaming nightmares, or living them.

Wishing nothing more than to disappear, Juandissimo pushed Cupid's hand away, and before Cupid could stop him, he beelined away from the table and out the same doors they came in. Cupid turned back to the four girls in front of him, a look of disappointment etched in his brow. " _I_ wanted him here!"

"It's four against one, Cupid." Sapphire noted. "Besides…you wouldn't wanna be around him either after you hear what he did to Blonda."

Cupid glanced over to Blonda who soon averted her eyes in shame. "What did he do that was so bad?"

"Tuh…" Ruby was no stranger to how Blonda was ultimately betrayed by someone she trusted with her life. "Wait 'til you hear the story we have…"

Crickets chirped in the light of a full moon as shimmers of stars sprinkled against the dark sky above. Sitting underneath the glow of a lamppost, Rose idlily sat against the wooden backrest of the bench, crossing one leg over the other dangling off as she texted a response to another one of her and Thornton's inside jokes.

Hours passed before she heard a word from Spike. After what happened earlier that day, she assumed Spike wouldn't want anything to do with her. But when he texted her to meet him at the same bench as before, she could only assume what Spike wanted to discuss. Part of her worried he'd tell her off, call her easy, call her sleazy…something along those lines. Part of her knew he'd never do that, but she couldn't erase that scenario from her mind.

Putting her phone away in her purse, she saw Spike floating towards her, unsure if he was happy to see her judging by the nervousness in his face. He stopped beside the bench, veering his eyes towards the ground before staring back at her, sensing her unease.

Hands slightly tucked in the front pocket of his skinny jeans, he approached with a simple. "…hey."

She stood from her seat, timidly tucking her hands behind her back. "…hey."

Once she hovered just a couple feet in front of him, he forced himself to make eye contact with her shy gaze. "…I-I'm sorry." Spike apologized. "…for leaving you hangin'."

"No, I'm sorry." Rose apologized, placing the tips of her fingers over her heart. "I…may have come on too strong."

"No, you didn't…" Spike assured. "…I-I just…never…did anything like that before."

Rose looked away briefly. "…you mean, kiss someone?"

"…yeah…" Spike shamefully admitted. Geez, he such a puss. "…I never really…felt like I wanted to do that with anyone before."

"…I understand." Rose sincerely empathized. "…I-I haven't…wanted to do that with anyone in a long time."

Spike nervously scratched the side of his head, letting out a small chuckle. "I uh…I don't normally do stuff like this…"

"It's okay." Rose grinned faintly. "I get it."

Clearing the frog in his throat, Spike held his arm with one hand, anticipating the aftermath of taking the biggest leap of his life. "…do you…I mean…would you…wanna go see a movie, maybe?"

Rose tried to hide her soul screaming with excitement. "Is…this your way of asking me on a date?"

"…a-a date? Um…" he felt his cheeks heat up. "…if that's what you want."

"Well, in that case…" her grin grew into a friendly smile. "…I'd love to see a movie with you."

Spike returned his own shy smile. Whelp, that was easy. "Sweet. Um...you mind if we take your car? I'm lacking in the wheels department at the moment…"

Rose couldn't help but giggle at how cute he was. "Sure, we can take my car." She extended a hand to take his out of his pocket. "But only if you agree to pay for my ticket."

Spike scoffed. "Deal."

"…and for my popcorn."

"Sure."

"…and my drink."

"Aight, chillout." Spike laughed, cupping his other hand over hers with a genuine smile. "I got you."

She peered into his eyes glowing in the light, and she used her free hand to palm his cheek. He didn't stop her lips from brushing his, this time lingering in the sweet tingle of affection before their lips pushed apart. Fireworks sparked in their hearts, lighting their souls in a fire no water could tame. For a moment, their eyes locked, and for a moment…

Everything felt so right.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Didn't realize how long this chapter was 'til I edited it here, but I wanna be positive that it'll be well worth the read! This is pretty much where things start to take a very...very dark turn.

Cosmo let out a frustrated sigh as he sat with Wanda on her bed, still not understanding a word Wanda said after the fourth explanation of the subject. Godparents had so many rules to follow to ensure their godchildren wouldn't lose them, so much material to remember, and they hadn't learned more than a quarter of the total number of rules. Some rules were practically the same thing just in different wording, some rules almost contradicted the other, and some were just plain stupid. Like why can't a godchild wish for an electric car? What kind of rule is that?!

Sensing Cosmo's frustration, Wanda reached behind his back to rub just below his wings. Even with her help, school was still pretty difficult for Cosmo. "I know it's a lot to learn, babe." Her warm smile mirrored Cosmo's defeated frown. "But you're doing so well!"

"You're just saying that to be nice…" Cosmo pouted, scooting his textbook off his lap so his elbows could prop against them. "I'm gonna fail for sure…"

"With that attitude, you will." Wanda raised Cosmo's chin to face her. "You should give yourself more credit; the questions you ask mean you at least get the general concept, and that's a huge improvement for you!"

"I guess…" Cosmo looked away, once again trapped in self-criticism. The fact that he had questions to ask only proved his subpar intelligence…Wanda hardly ever had to ask questions; everything seemed to come so natural to her. Why can't he be like her?

Scribbling a few notes in her binder from a passage in her Da Rules textbook, Rose glanced at Susie to her right, leaned against the bed post with her textbook in her lap. "Where's Alewandro, Susie?" Rose inquired. "He could have studied with us."

"His dad asked him to come home because they needed to talk to him in person." Susie explained, flipping a page in her textbook. "So he left sometime after his last class."

"Wow." Rose chuckled to herself; her parents were too busy living their own lives with their new partners that she hadn't seen either one of them since Fall Break. "Must be nice to have parents who actually want to talk to you."

"I certainly wouldn't know…"

Rose and Susie looked over across the room to their best friend as Cosmo shove his own problems aside to rub below his girlfriend's wings for a change as her eyes cast down somberly.

"Oh…I'm sorry, Wanda." Rose recalled Wanda telling her about her father basically kicking her out of the family after her mother died and how she hadn't spoken or heard from him since. Rose could only imagine how hard it was going through something like that. "I didn't mean-"

"You don't have to apologize." Wanda lifted her gaze, not asking for sympathy. "It just reminded me…my uncle Carmine texted me a couple weeks ago how he had a stroke from basically drinking away his stress." she scoffed in resentment; so much for Fairywinkles 'upholding themselves to a higher honor, knowing their worth' bullarky. "…karma's a real bitch."

"Well, dang Wanda." Susie half-heartedly commented on Wanda's unusual cynicism, Cosmo staring at his girlfriend in his own surprise. "Tell me how you really feel."

"I'm serious." Wanda remarked. "I've stressed less in a semester of collage than I ever did in all my years in school without his constant disapproval of everything I ever did or didn't do…" she bitterly folded her arms, creasing her brow. "…he's not gotten _nearly_ what he deserves…"

"Baby…" Cosmo knew Wanda's whole mood changed in any reminder of her father. Her mind would flood with memories she'd much rather forget, reverting back to the miserable little girl in fear of her father's wrath.

"…well, it's a good thing you don't have to deal with him anymore." Susie grinned in hopes of lightening the dampened atmosphere of the room.

"Yeah." Rose agreed, adding her own grin as Wanda lifted her eyes to them. "He can't hurt you anymore. Not if you don't let him."

"…thanks, you guys." Wanda sighed, reaching behind her back to gently remove Cosmo's hand. "…didn't mean to make things about me."

"Well, considering how you _hardly_ ever talk about yourself," Rose lightheartedly commented. "I think we all agree that you deserve to have a moment every now and then."

"A savage moment at that." Susie smirked. "I don't think I've ever heard you talk that way before, Wanda."

"…well, it's true." Wanda hugged herself tighter. "he deserves a lot worse…"

Cosmo watched as Wanda lowered her eyes once more, upset knowing she was upset. Oh, how he wished he could just reach inside her brain and zap those painful memories away…

* * *

"Literally _all_ the guys I ever talked to at parties were either straight or already in a relationship!" Cupid complained after a sip of his coke, slumped in his student union chair. "I'm the freaking god of love for crying out loud! It shouldn't be this hard for me to find a partner!" He turned to Juandissimo who had his chin propped in his palm, nonchalantly sitting beside him. "Do you think it's me?! Am I too much?!"

Juandissimo arched a brow in his otherwise emotionless expression. "…hypothetically, or…?"

"Juan, I'm serious!" Cupid whined. "I'm destined to help others find love; why can't love find _me_?!"

Even after being thrown under the bus by Blonda and her minions, Cupid still wanted to be his friend. Cupid preached love, not hate, and he wanted to listen to Juandissimo's version of the truth. In his mind, he figured he could still be friends with Juandissimo as well as Blonda as the triplets…he just won't make the same mistake of hanging out with both at the same time, not until they're able to actually talk things out and come to a resolution. In Juandissimo's mind, the day that happens is the day humans become immortal…

As the diapered fairy released a dramatic sigh, sulking in his first world problems, Juandissimo's phone vibrated in his pants pocket. Reaching to retrieve it, he read 'Mamá' in the caller ID, and while Cupid decided to scroll through his own phone, Juandissimo flipped his phone open. "…hola, mamá."

"Hola, mijo." Mrs. Magnifico greeted in her undying motherly tone. "¿cómo estás?"

Juandissimo automatically shrugged. "…bueno, supongo…"

"I have missed hearing from you…" she expressed with a hint of sadness.

"…Lo siento…" he sighed, feeling a bit guilty for actively avoiding talking to her. "I have just been busy…"

"I understand, mijo; finals can be very stressful." Mrs. Magnifico sympathized before she stated. "I would like for you to come home this weekend. Your father and I need to talk to you."

His brow scrunched quizzically. "…About what?"

"It is more of an 'in person' conversation." She clarified. "And, as you know, Juanita has her license now. She wants to come get you after she is out of school so she can see you. You know how much she misses you as well."

"Si, I know..." Juandissimo replied, aware he probably wouldn't be able to refuse or make up an excuse to get out of it. "I will text her where my dorm is."

"Oh, mucho graicias, mijo!" Juandissimo slightly rolled his eyes at the dramatic gratitude in her voice. "¡Te quiera, mucha!"

"…Te quiero, tambien..."

When Juandissimo ended his call, Cupid took another sip of his coke, looking up from his phone. "Y'know, even if I understood like 2% of your entire conversation, I just _love_ when you speak Spanish! I even learned a few more phrases the other day! Like this!" he cleared his throat, posing in his teasingly sensual manner, speaking ever so softly. "Dalemo, bebé..."

Slitting his eyes, Juandissimo greatly wished he did not just hear that. "…Can you not?"

"Ay papi…"

"Cupid…"

"Fóllame duro, pap-"

"Stop that!"

* * *

With other cooks in the back preparing food for other orders, Thornton set out the orders for one of Cosmo's tables as Cosmo approached the window to the kitchen. Friday nights always equaled more customers, and this Friday night proved no different in all faculty and staff keeping their heads above the water.

"Thanks, Thorn." Cosmo wearily thanked, attempting to balance the plates on his arms.

"Just a couple more hours, Coz." Thornton reminded, sensing his best friend's weariness. "Then we're off for a week."

"Yeah, just to drag through finals…" Cosmo grumbled.

"Which would you rather do?" Thornton theorized. "Drag yourself through final exams, or drag yourself through a full shift waiting tables?"

Cosmo sighed. "At least with one I get paid to be miserable."

Thornton chuckled as Cosmo took his plates and flew out to the main dining area, heading over to the table who've been asking for their food the last ten minutes, as a dissatisfied customer from one of his other tables called out to him as he passed. "Where's our food, sir?!"

"Sorry…it's coming."

"We've been waiting for twenty minutes!"

Rolling his eyes where the customer couldn't see, Cosmo hurried to his table, setting down the plates in the order he tried to remember. Mr. Wonka promised to hire more staff for months now, yet here they were, still understaffed and overworked. Not to mention other employees calling in left and right…

How will Cosmo survive?

"Oh, Cosmo lo-lo?!"

Cosmo shut his eyes as if to block out whatever monstrosity he just heard…

Dealing with her was the _last_ thing he needed…

Once the guests received their orders, Cosmo turned around to the turquoise beehive sitting on one of the barstools, seeing her wave like she'd greet a long-lost friend. He didn't show it in his face, but he imagined himself strangling her with a dish rag tied around her neck…

Reluctantly, Cosmo hovered towards her. If he must entertain her, then he might as well try to make it quick; he had three other tables waiting on orders and barely had time to breathe as it were. "…yes?"

"Why do you keep ignoring my texts and calls?!"

Goodness, here go this witch again… "I've been busy."

"Well, when are you not busy?"

"Why?"

"To fix our relationship, of course!" Mama Cosma wished her son could see how much she missed him. All she wanted is a second chance…why did he have to make that so difficult?

 _You're not the same little boy she can push over anymore._ Cosmo remembered Wanda's words from a month ago. _She can't just force her way back in your life, especially when you don't want her to…_

The dusty lightbulb flicked in his mind.

If now was the time, then the time was now. This needed to be settled, once and for all. "…I get off work in a couple hours." Cosmo advised, settling for a compromise. "We can talk then."

"How about you come over?" Mama Cosma generously offered. "I can keep the porch light on for you."

He was hoping for somewhere a bit more public. Settling for a compromise apparently wasn't going to mean comfortability on his end. "Sounds good."

"Great!" Mama Cosma rose from her seat, embracing her son in a squeeze he was too tired nor did he care enough to return. "I love you, my little Cosmo lo-lo!"

If only he could say the same.

**. . . . . .**

With dorm keys in hand, Wanda searched her purse to ensure she had her wallet and her phone before she used her keys to lock the door. Considering Rose and Spike were out on a date, Cosmo and Thornton were at work, and Alewandro visiting his parents, Susie thought it'd be a good idea to forget about the stress of finals for a while and have a 'girls night' like old times. She suggested they visit the local pub, enjoying the musical stylings of the Friday night live band over some drinks. Wanda and Susie hadn't had a night to themselves in quite a while, so, of course, Wanda was fully on board.

Remembering Susie telling her that her door was unlocked, Wanda twisted the handle to float inside, met with yet another argument ensuing between Susie and Minty.

"I'm so sick and tired of seeing that boy of yours!" Minty complained, firm hands on her hips. "He's never _not_ here!"

"Well _I'm_ tired of seeing your drunk AF drinking buddies!" Susie refuted, arms crossed over her chest. "One or more of them always ends up crashing on _my_ bed with _out_ my permission!"

"Ugh, your so freaking _whiney_!" Minty groaned, rolling her eyes. "How can _any_ one put up with your constant complaining!"

Susie cracked her knuckles, brow creased in aggravation. "Hoe, my fists are equal opportunity employers, and YOU, miss ma'am, can catch these hands!"

Stopping Susie from any decisions she'd regret later, Wanda cleared her throat, loud enough to gain both girls' attention. After acknowledging her best friend, Susie glanced back at Minty with an arrogant smile. "You're lucky I have other plans to attend to."

"Ha, _you're_ lucky I probably won't be here when you get back!" Minty sneered. "Otherwise, I'd show you a thing or two about 'catching these hands!'"

"Trick, you got _one_ more time to try me-"

"Susie, come on!" Wanda pulled Susie by her arm, dragging her towards the exit. "We're gonna miss the live band!"

Minty had enough time to flip Susie the bird before Wanda shut the door, holding a riled Susie back with her other hand. "Susie, would you chill?!"

"I _swear_ Imma kill that hoe!" Susie exclaimed, fuming as she her arm free. "I'm _sick_ of her B.S!"

"Look…we only have one week of finals and then it's Christmas Break. We're already confirmed to be roommates next semester." Wanda calmly reminded, holding Susie by her shoulders to calm her down. "You've managed to last this long; do us a favor and _not_ ruin that by getting yourself kicked out."

In between her deep breaths, Susie could always count on Wanda to be her voice of reason. "I know…but Minty's face would look _sooooo_ much better with a black eye and a bloody nose."

Wanda laughed at such a crude joke, linking Susie by her arm as they floated down the corridors. "I think this girl's night is more for you than for me."

"Ha…chile…" Susie sighed jokingly, reaching into her purse to make sure she didn't forget her car keys. "You have _no_ idea…"

* * *

Alewandro sat across from his mother and father at the kitchen table while they waited for Juanita to return home, engaged in civil conversation.

"How is work?" Alewandro asked them both, finishing the water his mother offered earlier.

"It has been nice working days again." Mr. Magnifico replied, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed behind his lilac shoulder length hair. "I can feel like a normal fairy with a normal sleep schedule."

"And I have no real complaints as well; most of the families in my clientele have been corporative in improving their home life." Mrs. Magnifico added, recalling the number of cases in her social work. "How has school been?"

"Eh, it is going." Alewandro shrugged. "Cannot wait for finals to be over."

A muffled car engine pulled into the driveway, the glare of the headlights shining through the front window. "That must be tu hermana." Mr. Magnifico announced, scooting his chair back to leave as he gathered the empty cups on the table to set by the sink.

"I cannot believe she is driving now." Alewandro commented, the rumble of the ignition quieting as the headlights switched off. "It feels like just yesterday she learned how to ride a bike."

"Ugh." Mrs. Magnifico lightheartedly groaned. "Do not remind me."

Hearing the front door unlock, all three of them turn to that direction as Juanita opened the door. Unbenounced to Alewandro, Juanita had a guest he wasn't prepared nor did he want to see.

"¡Hola a todos!" Juanita excitedly greeted, shutting the door after Juandissimo flew inside. "You would not be _lieve_ the traffic!"

The two Magnifico brothers caught sight of the other, faced with the unexpected shock of occupying the same space at the same time. Juandissimo and Alewandro had not been on speaking terms over the last four weeks; they were hardly in the room at the same time. Juandissimo would leave early in the morning before Alewandro was awake, and Alewandro would return late in the night after Juandissimo was asleep. If they shared a class, they sat separate from the other. This was intentional on both parties…they figured it'd be better to just avoid each other if they wanted to prevent another heated argument.

Apparently, their parents didn't get that memo.

Alewandro released an aggravated groan as he sprung from his chair "Joda esto…"

"Alewandro Milagro! Sit down." Mr. Magnifico firmly ordered with a creased brow, stopping Alewandro from leaving passed his chair " _Right_ now." While he grumbled in protest, Alewandro promptly took his seat, knowing not to disobey his father when he's that serious.

In no mood to deal with the lights of him, Juandissimo muttered under his breath as he attempted to leave back out the front door, but Juanita grabbed him by the arm, pleading for him to stay.

"Juandissimo Nubarrón!" Mrs. Magnifico sternly called, pointing to the empty chair next to Alewandro with ice blue eyes like daggers. "Sit. Now." Grunting in objection, Juandissimo did as told and took his seat, Juanita anticipatingly taking the seat at one end of the table between him and where her father returned to his chair.

"Now that we have you two together…" Mr. Magnifico began, scooting in his chair closer to the table with stern eyes on both sons. "Tu mamá and I invited you both separately because we believed it would be the only way for you to meet."

Alewandro crossed his arms, his glare in the direction of the living room connected to the kitchen, and Juandissimo propped his chin in his palm with his forearm leaned against the table, his glower in the direction of the front window next to the front door. Juanita could tell neither one of them wanted to be there, and as she listened quietly, she feared things might turn for the worst.

"Tu hermana has told us that you two are not speaking, and both of you have not been so kind when talking about the other." Mr. Magnifico continued, unbothered by both sons' insolence. "It seems you both have forgotten that tu eres familia, and as familia, if there is a disagreement, we resolve it! We do not let it fester into something it does not need to be!"

Knowing they were listening even though they weren't looking his way, Mr. Magnifico crossed his own arms, leaning over the table. "So this is what is going to happen; neither one of you will leave this table until you squash this!" Mr. and Mrs. Magnifico were unfazed by their sons' irritated groan of opposition. "We _refuse_ to deal with you two at odds all Christmas break!" Mr. Magnifico firmly added. "So I suggest you start talking, because we can sit here all night; it is really up to you."

Juanita absently twirled a strand of her side ponytail, feeling the weight of the tension prevalent in the air. She knew her parents would not be happy about Juandissimo and Alewandro's behavior towards each other, but she knew their relationship was in danger of reaching the point of no return. Judging their actions, she worried that point had already been reached…

Juandissimo hated every minute of this; why was he forced to say anything to that traitor?! It's not like he'd actually hear what he had to say, it's not like he'd care. As far as he was concerned, Alewandro could care less about him, seeing as how he cared more about some green-haired moron and his two-faced match made in heaven!

Alewandro knew for a fact that Juandissimo wouldn't listen to a word he said. When has he ever really listened? His head was so far up his own butt; everything was everyone else's fault and never his. Everyone was to blame, and he was the pathetic little victim. He was sick of his complaining…that's all he ever does!

Looking over to see Juandissimo clearly wasn't going to be the bigger person and speak first, Alewandro sighed, shaking his head in discontent before turning to him, keeping his voice as calm as possible. "…I know it is awful getting dumped for another guy…pero, eventually, you are going to have to stop the pity party."

This led to Juandissimo turning to Alewandro with an irritated side eye, he too keeping his tone civil. "…how would you feel if Susie dumped you to go back to some puta of an ex? You probably would not get over it so easily…"

"That is where you are wrong." Alewandro nonchalantly responded. "Because I would have enough common sense not to fully commit to a girl I find out is not fully committed to me."

…so much for keeping things calm.

"Are you kidding me, right now?!" Juandissimo glared. "Do you seriously believe that all of this is _my_ fault?!"

Alewandro returned his own glower. "How is it _not_?!"

"Wanda stomped my heart just to leave it bleeding on the ground, and you think _I_ brought that upon myself?!"

"Juandissimo, _you_ did not want to listen to me when I warned you Wanda was spending _a lot_ more time with Cosmo when they started talking again!" Alewandro refuted, his blood boiling by the second. " _You_ kept having sex with Blonda despite knowing she caught feelings and ignored the huge risk of losing her as a friend! _You_ did not want to listen when I told you… _not_ to confront Cosmo the day you got yourself suspended because you were already upset! You could have beaten Cosmo to a pulp if I did not stop you!"

"Why do any of those other things matter?!"

Alewandro rose from his seat, eyes mad with rage as he motioned to his temple with a pointed finger. "It is to show you that you do not listen because of that thick head of yours! Your stubbornness is why bad things end up happening to you!" He let his hand fall to his side in a balled fist, his chest heaving hitched breaths as he spoke darkly "…just like with your mother."

Juandissimo's glower soon turned to that of shocked pain, Juanita's hurt expression glaring towards Alewandro as Juandissimo fell speechless.

"Alewandro…" Mr. Magnifico warned; Alewandro treaded extremely thin ice. "Do not dare-"

"Your priority _should_ have been to get her somewhere away from your lunatic of a father!" Alewandro continued anyway; in the moment, he didn't care whose feelings he hurt.

"Alewandro, stop-"

"Instead of doing that, however, she ended up losing her life because _you_ knew _damn_ well you were not strong enough to stop him!"

"Alewandro!"

"Your mother is _never_ coming back because of _your_ obstinacy!" Alewandro hovered dangerously close to Juandissimo, pointing a finger at Juandissimo's chest "She died…because of _you_!"

His heart plummeted to his stomach, air escaped his lungs. That familiar twinge in his heart throbbed all the way into his head…his soul felt numb. Though his mouth was fixed in preparation of a rebuttal, his throat couldn't project any words. Just the very thought of breathing brought pain to his chest, and hot tears threatened the back of his eyes…

Juandissimo fled from his chair, knocking it to the ground as he sped to the front door. Alewandro's fixed glare watched as Juanita and Mr. Magnifico hurried after him, catching the door before Juandissimo could slam it shut.

"…Alewandro, you had _no_ right!" Mrs. Magnifico berated through gritted teeth, Alewandro slumping in his seat as he tried to calm himself. "How _dare_ you!"

But Alewandro felt no sympathy, felt no remorse. He finally spoke his truth, and that was all that mattered.

* * *

Cosmo's heart twitched in his chest as Thornton drove his motorcycle into the driveway of his childhood home, parking behind Mama Cosma's car by stepping down on the brake pedal. He always told himself that if he never came back to the mauve concrete walls filled with horrible memories, it'd be too soon. Not even a year later, and he found himself staring face-to-face with Hell. At least if he and Mama Cosma met somewhere public, she'd have less of a chance to revert to old ways. Here he was on her own turf; she could do whatever she pleased without much consequence. Taking off his helmet, Cosmo stared at the porch light glowing above the haunting front door, masking the little boy in his soul screaming inside.

No way could he back down now…

"Thanks for the ride, Thornton." Cosmo set his helmet on the back of the leather seat, using most of his mental strength to keep his limbs from trembling.

"It's no biggie, Coz." Thornton hung his own helmet over one of the grip handles, getting off his motorcycle. "You sure you don't want me to go in with you?"

"I don't plan on being here long…"

"Aight, then." Thornton reached into his pants pocket, grabbing his pack of cigarettes, heading to one of the street lights next to the driveway. "If ya need me, I'll be by this post."

"Kay."

Wiping the sweat from his palms onto his uniform pants, Cosmo approached the front door, quick enough not to waste any more time yet slow enough to catch his breath from the shallowness in his chest, trying to calm his racing heart. Fear shouldn't be a factor; he was stronger than the Cosmo she remembered. He needed to tell himself this, otherwise, she would continue to assert her 'right' to intervene in his life unwarranted.

After pressing the doorbell, Cosmo waited with his hands in his pockets, observing Thornton flick his lighter to his cigarette before inhaling its smoke. Thornton always seemed so chill. Even if under large amounts of stress, he never showed it. Almost like nothing ever bothered him…

If only he could be like him right now.

His heart skipped a beat when the sound of unhatched locks caught his ears. He turned to see Mama Cosma open the door, leaving room to let him inside. Cosmo wasted no time flying in, taking in the familiar scenery of the living as Mama Cosma shut the door. Blurry snippets of the day she smacked him around the living after coming back from Wanda's house blinked in his mind, as if to give him the momentum to do what he came for.

"Do you want anything?"

He snapped his head around to face her, not expecting her voice to sound so motherly. "…I have someone waiting on me outside." Cosmo informed, keeping his voice low to keep his nerves from flaring. "I can't really stay long."

"Well, that's quite alright." Mama Cosma smiled weakly, just glad her son even came over at all. "I know you just got off work and you must be tired." She flew passed him over to the couch, taking her seat as she motioned for him to do the same. "I'll try to keep this short."

Cautiously, Cosmo flew to take the seat next to Mama Cosma on the couch, his eyes locked on her. He sat on the opposite end of the couch from her; he wasn't taking any chances, so he had to stay out of her reach in the event she felt froggy.

After a deep breath, Mama Cosma held a hand over her heart. "I'm so…so sorry, Cosmo."

He stared at her, searching for any deception. "…for?"

"For everything…" Mama Cosma simply stated. "…everything I've ever done, ever said, that made you feel as if you meant nothing to me…"

"I've heard all of this before." Cosmo bluntly reminded, noting the many apologies she sent in texts. "What is it that you want me to do about that?"

"I still want to start over." Mama Cosma replied, solemn turquoise staring back at skeptical shamrock. "…I love you, and I hope you can forgive me."

He wanted to trust her words, yet the damage done to his core prevented him from doing so. All the times she belittled him, all the times she called him worthless, all the times she called him stupid…all the times she beat him and left him in a heap of his own wounds...how can he forgive her for that? If the tables were turned in some alternate universe, even he wouldn't forgive himself.

Stern in his brow, Cosmo mustered the grown man he knew he could be, and in a firm tone, he put her up to one, final test. "…there's only one way I'd accept you back."

"Which is?"

"…accept Wanda as my girlfriend."

The flip of a switch turned her eyes of remorse into eyes of reluctance. "Why in heavens name are you wasting your time with that lowdown Fairywinkle?!"

The simplest of test, and she failed miserably.

Mama Cosma hadn't changed at all.

His lips fixed in flat agitation, Cosmo lifted himself from the couch in attempts to exit through the front door, but somehow, Mama Cosma flew quick enough to clutch his arm, holding him back.

"I want a relationship with my son!" She complained, doing everything in her power not to shout at how ridiculous her son was being. "Not my son's tramp of a girlfriend!"

"Your son's girlfriend is a part of him!" Cosmo spoke, the adrenaline of irritation fueling his defiance. "Wanda is a part of me! She _is_ me!"

"She'll only end up hurting you! That's all Fairywinkles ever do is hurt people!"

He yanked his arm from her grasp, rebellion in his scowl. "You're one to talk…"

His words slashed her ego more than anything, slitting her eyes. "…You _really_ think that Fairywinkle would still break up with that other boy if you succeeded?!"

Color drained from his face, balling his fists. She did _not_ just say that! "Wanda's not like that!"

"And you're clearly not that smart!" Mama Cosma snickered, holding her hips with arrogant hands. "She's probably only dating you because she feels guilty for driving you to suicide in the first place!"

His eyes widened by the sheer frustration growing within. Not only had Mama Cosma not changed, she hadn't learned a damn thing about accountability! "Wanda didn't drive me to suicide… _YOU_ did!"

"Was it not her that moved on with that boy so soon after you two broke up?!" Mama Cosma refuted. "Was it not her that called you delusional when you confronted her about it?! Was it not her that called you an idiot Cosma who blamed others for how they wronged you?!"

"She only said those things because I said mean things to her!" Cosmo defended, his chest tightening from aggravation. "And if I remember correctly, the _ONLY_ reason we even broke up was because _YOU_ forced me to! I was stupid enough to let you beat me until I couldn't take it!"

"That's exactly what you are; stupid!" Mama Cosma bitterly retorted. "Stupid for giving that Fairywinkle another chance after how much she hurt you!"

Gee, that very sentence couldn't be more relatable. "…you're right." Cosmo gritted his teeth, firm in his glare. "I am stupid…stupid to give YOU another chance after everything you've done! Well, guess what 'mama'!" Cosmo pointed a finger to her, trembling in frustration. "You can for _get_ about _EVER_ hearing or seeing me AGAIN!"

He swiftly turned away, speeding towards the front door. After all of this, he was more than done. Done with her antics, done with her victimization, done with her false narratives. He was done with her; the rest of his life would be perfect if he never saw her again!

"…that father of yours blamed me as well…"

Though her voice was low, he could still hear her spite, stopping him in his tracks. He didn't have to face her to see the grimace in her eyes.

"…in his suicide note…he blamed everything on me." She continued, crossing her arms. "…said I drove him crazy…said he couldn't deal with me anymore…"

His fists balled tighter, his jaw throbbing from the force in his gritted teeth. How _dare_ she bring him into this…

"…if that's how you really feel…then you might as well have left me the same way." A shiver shot down his spine at the coldness in her words. "…I wouldn't have to deal with you hating me if you were dead."

He shot a glare towards her icy glower, fuming with rage he hadn't felt in a long time. Oh, so the "I'm sorry's" were all an act, right? All the "I wanna make things right" was all for show?! She never loved him, she never cared about him, she never _wanted_ him! She wanted the false image of how great of a mother she was, to raise her son all on her own after her husband took his own life, leaving poor little ol' her alone! Her crying and screaming when he almost died must have been fake too, huh?! He didn't want to believe it when Spike told him that happened. He thought he was kidding. She needs an acting agent; please, somebody give this witch a roll in Fairywood!

Floating dangerously close to her face, Cosmo scowled into her eyes, unfazed by her resentment. "…I may come from you…" his voice grew eerily low. "…but you're _barely_ what I would call a mother!"

"And I may have brought you into this world…" Mama Cosma grunted. "…but you're no child of mine!"

The venomous rage in the pit of his stomach released in his snarl, growling the very words he's wanted to say yet never had the courage to until now. "I hope you rot in hell you fat cun-"

A crack smacked across his face, burning red in his cheek.

The malice in her eyes quickly dissipated upon realization of what she just did, watching her son cup his face as he glared at her. "…Cosmo…" she released an unsteady breath, shaking her head in denial. "…Cosmo I…I'm sor-"

"Take…your fake apology…" Red veins popped in his neck as he snatched the 400 he never cashed from his back pocket, shoving her square in the face with it. "…take your blood money…" her eyes blinked from the impact, watching the bills flutter to the ground. "…and shove _ALL_ of it… _straight_ up your _ASS!_ "

She stood frozen, almost numb to any reaction. After all she ever did for him; bathed him, fed him, clothed him, provided a roof over his head, gave him anything he ever wanted…loved him. After all that, he had the au _daci_ ty to talk to her like that? To disrespect her like that?! She didn't have to keep him after her husband died and left her to raise a child on her own. She didn't have to, but she did. She did because he was her everything. Sure, her form of discipline was questionable at best, but she did it out of love! She wanted to make things right and show him how much he loved her!

And yet…he threw her love in her face…crushing her heart with his bare hands.

Controlling his breathing grew more difficult the angrier he became. She stared at the fallen money before raising her eyes to him, and for the first time in his life, he couldn't give two cares about the threatening tears swelling in her eyes. _She_ wanted to cry? How about living in his shoes the last eighteen years of his life! Getting yelled at, getting screamed at, getting berated, getting belittled. Getting slapped in the face over trivial grievances, getting stomped on for looking at her the wrong way, getting knocked out and left unconscious on the floor…getting hospitalized and having to lie in the doctor's face.

Her tears meant jack compared to his suffering by her hands…

Without another word left to be said, he stormed away to the exit. The sweat from his palm almost couldn't turn the knob, his rage blurring his vision.

"That Fairywinkle's gonna _dump_ you when she realizes what a _stupid…PATHETIC_ excuse of a _being_ you are!"

Her shrieks rang through his eardrums in her attempt to gain the upper hand. He didn't need to see her to know that her guilt came pouring from her eyes.

"She's gonna realize what a _waste_ of _LIFE_ you are, and you'll be _left_ with _NOTHING_!"

He's heard her angry, yet never this furious. The cracks in her shouts made him surprised the police hadn't been called for a disturbance.

"YOU…are _NOTHING_ without me!" her hitched breaths continued to scream, bloodshot eyes staring daggers into the back of her son's neck. "YOU…will _ALWAYS_ be NOTHING!" Tears streamed waterfalls down her cheeks, her chest burning with the same rage glossing over her eyes. "YOU HEAR ME?!... _NOTHING_!"

Though his heart bled from the many knives stabbed into its core, though his soul clung to life by the many shreds in its fabric, he did not look back. He simply opened the door, flew out, and slammed it from behind, never to see her crying face again as she slid to the floor, bending over her knees as her wings quivered with grief.

Thornton turned to the loud bang, having just put out his cigarette. The fire in Cosmo's reddened face and bloodshot in his green eyes shined in the full moonlight. This was a sight he'd never seen before. Cosmo always seemed so gentle; even when he grew frustrated, he's never reached such a level of pissed off. He heard someone shouting, presumably his mother, though the events leading up to said shouting remained unclear. "Cosmo, what happen-"

Cosmo stormed passed Thornton into the dead of the night, fueled by boiling rage. He couldn't stop, wouldn't stop. Rationality far from his mind, he couldn't think straight, couldn't see straight.

"Coz!" Thornton rushed after him, wondering if he should have gone inside with him anyways. "COSMO!"

**. . . . . .**

Returning from their evening at the pub, Wanda and Susie turned the corner of the corridor down the hall to their respective rooms. It was two in the morning, the longest either one of them had ever stayed up before. Despite the fatigue, they wouldn't trade the experience for anything; good music and good booze were just what the doctor ordered. At least it was the weekend and they could try to sleep in.

Susie searched her purse for her dorm keys while Wanda held hers in hand. At first, she thought maybe her eyes were just that tired, but the closer she got to her door, the more she realized the little green fairy sitting on the floor next to her room wasn't a mirage. Susie noticed Wanda's distraction and soon caught sight of Cosmo, burying his face in his knees as he hugged himself. He still had on his uniform which means he never went back to his room. Wanda and Susie looked to each other briefly before turning back to the fairy shrouded in despair.

"…Cosmo?" Wanda slowly approached with Susie behind her, uncertain if he heard her by his lack of movement.

Gradually lifting his head from his knees, Cosmo veered his glossy red eyes to his girlfriend, the pink imprint of a hand in his cheek damp with glistening tears.

"Cosmo…" Wanda hurried to her boyfriend, kneeling down to his level. "…honey, what's wrong?"

No reply came except the lowering of his head, closing his eyes to stop the burning as silent tears continued to fall.

"…Susie." Wanda turned to her best friend. "I'll see you later, okay?"

As concerned as she was, Susie nodded, understanding Wanda's intentions. She used her key to enter into the darkness of her room as Wanda used her delicate hands to take Cosmo by the arms, drawing him closer to her.

His head rested in her chest as her arms blanketed him, coming his hair with tender fingers. He circled his arms around her waist, his tears trickling into her blouse. She laid her chin in his hair as he squeezed her, bundling into her comfort. For a while they stayed in their embrace, the brightness of artificial hallway lights peering down the darkness surrounding Cosmo's heart. Wanda sensed this darkness and wished she could take it away, but for now, all she knew to do was hold him close.

"…sweetie, do you want to come inside?" Wanda whispered to him, hoping that would motivate him to at least get off the cold floor.

She felt his subtle nod in her chest, breaking apart slightly for him to lift his head to her worried gaze. A faint tremble in his lips, he allowed her thumbs to cup his face and brush the faucet of tears from his eyes.

Rage gradually melted into pain once Thornton finally talked him down. His anger and frustration came out as rivers of tears, and he couldn't stop himself from crying. No sobs pinched his chest, just quiet, flowing sadness. Poor Thornton had no idea what to do other than lead him back to the motorcycle to take him back to campus. He wanted to wait for Cosmo to make it to his room before he retired to his own, but Cosmo insisted he need not worry about him. He believed Thornton had done enough for him giving him a ride to and from his mother's after a full work shift, and didn't want to risk waking Spike with his crying.

Wanda informed him earlier about her plans with Susie, and part of him didn't want to bring down her mood to his level of dismay. He was such a wreck, but he didn't know where else to go but to wait for her by her door. He felt as if he didn't deserve her; why would he be so upset when he expected nothing less from his confrontation? Mama Cosma didn't deserve not one of his tears, yet he's shed so many that his eyes throbbed. He didn't deserve her comfort, he didn't deserve her love, yet here she was, picking up the pieces like the angel he always knew her to be.

"C'mon." Wanda smiled, stroking his cheeks. "Let's go inside."

He sniffed as he used one arm to rub his eyes, letting her gentle hand pull him from the ground by the other. She laced her fingers into his as she used her free hand to take her keys from her purse and unlocked her door. With a twist of her handle, she opened the door, and after planting a soft kiss on his imprinted cheek, she led him inside before gently closing the door from behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeeeeeeeah Mama Cosma got dat axe! She annoying lol  
> Juan and Wandro tho...all the yikes.  
> ...yup.


	10. Chapter 10

As Wanda slept soundly beneath her covers, Cosmo, sitting with his back against the wall on the opposite end of Wanda's duvet, battled the weight of his heart in the wreck of his mind. Shimmers of morning sun shined through the blinds of her window, casting a dim glow within the room. Tiny chirps from birds echoed from outside, the only source of sound amid the stillness in the air.

Cosmo couldn't sleep a wink, replaying the events of the confrontation in his mind, and as much as Wanda wanted to stay up with him, she quickly succumbed to sleep once her head hit the pillow. Never before had he stayed awake for long periods of time, yet here he was coming up on his 26th hour of wakefulness, even after a full class schedule and work shift the day before, running off fumes of hurt and defeat.

_…That Fairywinkle's gonna_ dump _you when she realizes what a stupid…_ PATHETIC _excuse of a being you are!_

His eyes laid upon the angelic beauty to his right, watching the faint ebb and flow of her chest with her head tilted to the side, her rhythmic breaths parting her lips. How can someone so perfect love someone who embodied the very definition of imperfect?

… _She's gonna realize what a_ waste _of_ LIFE _you are, and you'll be_ left _with_ NOTHING _!_

In that sense, his mother was right. Without Wanda, he was nothing. Not a fairy, not skin, not muscles, not a skeleton, not organs, not blood running through his veins, not a spirit…nothing.

_…YOU…are_ NOTHING _without me! YOU…will_ ALWAYS _be NOTHING!_

_…YOU HEAR ME?!_ NOTHING!

Was she right? No matter what he did, no matter what he does, will he never amount to anything?

He buried his face in his arms, shielding the brightness from his irritated eyes. The Cosmo he feared, the Cosmo he hoped never returned, reared its ugly head last night. His anger was not out of the courage to stand up to her as a man, his anger stemmed from the fear of allowing her intimidation to degrade him to that of a little child. To come so far, just for her to dig under his skin deep enough to jam her dagger straight into his vein. He shouldn't have let her get to him, but she did.

He should have known her façade was all to regain control, even he should have seen through her fake sincerity. Why else would she call and text as much as she did? Why else would she stalk him at his job? Without him to control, she felt out of control. Without _him_ , _she_ will always be nothing, and because she will always be nothing, she had to project her insecurities onto him by degrading his character as nothing.

So many years, so much of his childhood gone, living under her wrath and manipulation. His poor father never realized he slept with the devil until it was too late. He remembered his father telling him how much he loved his wife…before. He described her in a way best compared to how Cosmo would describe Wanda. She was the apple of his eye, his blessing in disguise. Tuh, more like his curse in disguise…

He knew not why she changed, he knew not why she became the psychotic witch Cosmo knew her to be. His father searched for those answers himself, yet none he found. Would his father have taken his own life if his mother never changed? Probably not. For her to use his father's suicide as a weapon against him, to use his own attempt against him, was the biggest low blow she ever punched. He knew her to be cruel, but never had he known her to be so vicious.

And was she right about Wanda? If he ceased to exist…would she still be with Juandissimo? Their relationship was born out of the death of his ties to her. She never fully explained why she made the decision to come back to him…why come back to him? Was it because he practically begged her to? He knew she felt conflicted and yet the selfish part of him didn't care. All he cared about was for her to come back to him, and now that he had her to claim again…was it worth it for her? She didn't act like she harbored regrets, not when around him that is. What was she thinking behind closed doors?

Grumbling to himself, Cosmo raised his head and rested his chin on his arms. He can't let his mother's insecurities plant seeds of doubt in his head. Wanda loved him; she said so many times before, shown it many times before. Hell, she showed him last night. She could have told him to suck it up, stop his pathetic crying, stop feeling sorry for himself. She could have told him to go to his own room to cry in his own bed. She did none of those things…she accepted him with open arms, filling him with at much love as she could give.

He had no reason to doubt Wanda before, and he shouldn't have a reason to doubt her now.

Feeling the covers stir beneath him, he looked over to see pink orbs blinking awake. He watched her turn her head to face him, a weak smiling curling her lips. So much did he want to return the gesture, yet his wounded soul felt too beaten…

"…morning." She rubbed her eyes with a stretch, sitting up against her pillow.

All he could do was stare, his throat clamped dry.

Seeing the strain in his eyes with large bags underneath, including the fact that he hadn't changed out of his work clothes, her smile soon faded. "…Cosmo, have you been awake this whole time?"

His eyes averted hers, confirming her assumption. She crawled from underneath her covers closer to where Cosmo sat, sitting with her legs straight as she shifted to press her back against the wall. She reached out with her hand to touch his shoulder, yet he reacted by jerking away, keeping his eyes low.

"…Cosmo." Wanda didn't want to take his reaction personally; whatever he was dealing with really messed with him. "…do you wanna talk about what happened last night?"

He couldn't look at her…he didn't want her to coddle him again. Otherwise, he'd just start crying, and the last thing he wanted to do was shed more tears over that witch he had the displeasure of calling his mother.

Wanda's phone vibrated from a new text message, and when she lifted herself from her bed to go retrieve it, she opened her phone to find the message was from Spike.

**_"Hey, Wanda…is Coz with you? Thorn said he took him to see his mom last night, but when they came back, he didn't come back to the room."_ **

That explained a lot…she should have known from the hand imprint now faded into his regular skin tone.

She looked over to him, his eyes still turned away from her. "…is your mother why you're so upset?" Wanda gently asked, looming towards Cosmo.

His blank stare turned angry again, his growl barely audible. "…I never wanna see the likes of her again."

Wanda sent a reply back to Spike before turning her phone on mute and turned back to face him. He didn't look at her as she put her phone beside his foot on her bed, and when she went to hug him, he gently pushed her away. "…Cosmo, it's me." Wanda tried to reason, resting her hand over his arms which he thankfully didn't shove away. "You can talk to me, remember?"

He lifted his gaze to her as if in pain. He felt fresh tears press the back of his eyes just from the pure concern he sensed from her…and her soft hands reaching to caress his cheek only made his tears more threatening. He winced slightly by the warmth of her hands to the cool of his face, her thumb stroking the dried tears as if to make room for the new ones trickling from his eyes. Finding the will to speak, his voice trembled in his murmur. "…I have no family left…"

Those five words…felt all too familiar for Wanda.

Just under eight months ago did she utter those same exact words on Susie's couch. For him to say those words, it was clear that Cosmo officially cut ties from Mama Cosma. That must have taken a great deal of courage to do, more courage than even he thought he had. Cutting toxic people and their toxic energy out of your life takes courage. It's never easy, nor does it never hurt in the beginning. Cutting them out not only means cutting off the suffering they caused…it also means cutting off the years and energy and time wasted.

Wanda took her seat beside Cosmo once more, resting her hand on his right shoulder. "…I know what that feels like…" She spoke ever so gently, causing Cosmo to turn to her empathy. "…I used to feel that way…when my mom died…and when my dad kicked me out. I felt like I lost my identity…like I simply existed without cause or with no real purpose to my surname."

He let his tears flow freely as he listened, almost as if her words spoke directly to his heart.

"…but Susie reminded me that blood doesn't equal family." She continued. "…she reminded me of the family I had in her, and so do you." Her lips curved into a soft grin. "You have family in her, in Spike, in Thornton, in Rose…even Alewandro. But most importantly…" she cupped his hand held it over her heart, subtle thumps beating against his palm. "…you will _always_ have family in me, and that will never change."

Through his tears, he saw her tender spirit, and through his tears, he felt heart. No longer able to hold back, the dam in his shattered spirit broke, and the tears he tried to hold back came flowing down his cheeks. He covered his mouth to muffle his hitched sobs, his shoulders rocking with such overwhelming emotion bursting through him. Wanda circled her arm around his shoulder and brought him to her, hugging him tight as he cried harder than he had in what felt like forever.

"…it's okay, sweetie." She comforted him, gently scratching his hair as she rocked him like soothing a crying baby. "…just let it out."

And that he did. He let it all out; all his pain, all his suffering, all his anguish…set free in strained breaths, poured out in sorrowful tears. Gripping the fabric of her white T-shirt, Cosmo buried his face into her as he wept in her chest, her cheek nestled into his hair as she scratched his scalp.

This is exactly what he didn't want; a grown man…crying like a baby in his girlfriend's arms.

Why was he crying? Out of all the bullies he dealt with growing up, his own mother made top of the list. He should be happy to no longer subject to her verbal and emotional abuse only to be placed at fault for her irate actions. He should be happy to dissolve the burden of never being good enough for someone he can never truly please. He should be happy that his mother's need for control and domination will never leave him powerless and crushed again. He wouldn't have given her a second thought if it weren't for harassment with multiple calls and texts and stalking him at his job.

He used to love her and not her actions, but he should have realized sooner that actions define who a person is. Actions say a lot about a person; one's internal state of being ties to the external actions towards others and even themselves. In her case, it's impossible to love her yet hate her actions because her actions stem from the core of her being. The way she treated him was a statement of who she was as a person. He shouldn't love someone who showed so much hate towards him, towards his father even.

…Why did they ever love her at all?

* * *

"So, how's your 'professor escapades' going?" Cupid asked, floating alongside Blonda on their way to his room in Leo Hall. "Still the best you've ever had?"

"And then some." Blonda hadn't felt this good in what felt like a millennium. "I've never felt like this about anyone before besides…well…you know who." She added bitterly at the end, referring to a certain Hispanic ex-friend of hers. "It's so liberating that he truly feels the same way."

"Girl, I'm happy if you're happy." Cupid stated with a smile. "Forbidden love can be exhilarating!"

"Just wish the girls felt the same way you do…" Blonda sullenly expressed. "They've been all weird about it, lately."

"How?"

"They think I'm nothing more than just a booty call…" Blonda replied, recalling a certain not needed conversation she had with Ruby and her sisters the night before.

"I just think they just love you so much and are just concerned about you." Cupid commented. "They just have a 'not-so-loving' way of showing it."

Hearing her phone buzzing in her purse, Blonda reaches inside to take it out, reading 'Prof C' on her caller ID.

"Speak of the devil…" Cupid smirked as Blonda answered the call, holding the phone to her ear.

"Hey, Blonda." She heard Professor Cardician greet on the other line, making her smile. "Studying for finals?"

"Not really." Blonda replied. "I figured I have the whole weekend to study so…right now I'm just walking and talking with a friend."

"Sounds nice." Professor Cardician chuckled. "So…" a small moment of silence. "…would you like to come over later tonight?"

"Hmmm." Blonda sensually bit her bottom lip. "What's the occasion?"

"What, I can't just want to see you?" Professor Cardician kidded.

"I meeeeeannn, do you wanna see me, or do you wanna _see_ me?"

"…you're not gonna give me a straight answer, are you?"

"What's the fun in that?" Blonda giggled; she loved messing with him. "Of _course_ , I'd like to come over."

"I was hoping you would." Professor Cardician said. "Because I have the whole evening planned."

"Oh, do you?"

"Indeed." He warmly assured. "Figured some Starflix and chill would be nice…with a little more 'chill' at some point."

"Awwww." Blonda new exactly what 'chill' meant, and nothing could make her want him any less. "You're so sweet."

She heard him laugh faintly on the other end. "Not as sweet as your big lips."

**. . . . . .**

Ruby studied for her Theatre 1 final, holding her textbook over her legs crossed Indian style. She heard the unlocking of her door which could only mean madam Blonda has returned, though her eyes never strayed from the written text as Blonda entered.

"Hey, girl." Not receiving an immediate response, Blonda looked over her shoulder to Ruby paying more attention to her textbook, so she spoke a little louder. " _Hey_ , Ruby."

"I heard you the first time."

Ruby responded with more attitude than Blonda's liking. "Then _why_ didn't you answer?"

Rolling her eyes, Ruby swiftly shut her textbook to relocate from her bed to her desk. She ignored Blonda's quizzical glare as she slumped into her desk chair, dropping her textbook on the wooden surface before tossing the pages back to her bookmarked page.

"Seriously, Ruby?!" Blonda wasn't in the mood to deal with Ruby's theatrics. "What's your deal?!"

"Why are you still entertaining that clown?!" Ruby shot back, still rearing from the almost heated discussion from the night before about Blonda's 'forbidden love' interest. "How can you _not_ see that you're just nothing but a piece of ass for him?!"

"Ex _cuse_ me?!" Blonda didn't like that tone of voice; geez, can she not just come in the room without a verbal boxing match? "Where was this energy when I first told you about him?!"

"You didn't wanna hear it!" Ruby countered. "You _forced_ us to keep it a secret!"

"Why are you coming for me when I didn't send for you?!"

"And _why_ are you so _stupid_?!"

Blonda couldn't believe what she was hearing; she was happy with someone who loved her just as much as she loved him…why was that so wrong? Why was her happiness such a crime? "The hell do you mean, stupid?!"

"After _all_ your failed relationships with guys, I thought you'd learn your worth by now!" Ruby bitterly admitted. "That's something you didn't want to hear last night!"

"Last night all _three_ of you came at me left field!" Blonda made an advance towards Ruby, glaring her in the face. "Like, wtf was _that_ mess supposed to be, Intervention?!"

"We weren't coming at you left field, we were trying to help you!" Ruby retorted, rising from her seat. "Trust me, we _wanted_ to be happy for you and all we want is for you to be happy! But your choice in men isn't exactly the best, and Professor Cardician is no exception."

"Professor Cardician treats me like the woman I deserve to be!" Blonda rebutted. "I _am_ happy, but you guys can't see that!"

"And you can't see what we're trying to tell you!" Ruby argued. "You didn't wanna listen then, and you _certainly_ don't wanna listen now! And guess what? We're _sick_ of keeping your dirty little secret!"

"Oh, is _that_ why you had such an issue last night?!" Blonda crossed her arms, huffing her chest. "Because staying loyal is obviously something the three of you struggle to comprehend?!"

Ruby gasped, offended by Blonda's ridiculous comments. "How is it considered 'loyal' allowing your best friend to keep making the same dumb mistakes that could affect the rest of her life?!"

"Dumb mistake?!" Blonda hovered closer Ruby's glower. "He's not a mistake!"

"…just like Juandissimo wasn't a mistake?"

It was Blonda's turn to gasp in offense. What was she even talking about?! Both she and her sisters _knew_ how much she wanted that to work out…hell, _they_ were the ones encouraging her to keep it going. "He'll come around" they said, "Give it more time" they said. Man how wrong they were…

"…Professor Cardician _loves_ me!" Blonda proclaimed, sick of being backed into a corner. "Of course, how could _you_ see that; _you_ wouldn't know what love felt like even if it hit you!"

The anger in her glare dropped to that of shock, Ruby staring into Blonda's glare. Apparently, looking out for your best friend's best interest results in insults hurled your way. Insults that said best friend knew to cut deep because those insults would only be thrown with the intent to cause pain.

Her breaths strained in agitation, Ruby snatched her dorm keys and shot passed Blonda, unbothered by Blonda's icy scowl as she left the room with a hard slam.

* * *

Thornton and Spike exited out the back entrance of Leo Hall, facing the view of cars passing by on the main roads behind the iron barbed fence. They, like most students, knew they had to hit the books hard to prepare for a week of testing. After studying two hours straight for their Wand Engineering 101 final, Thornton suggested they take a quick break, feeling a crave of nicotine.

Leaned against the red brick backdrop of the dorm, Thornton reached in his back pocket for his lighter, taking a cigarette from his pack half empty. He kept one in between his fingers and set it in his mouth while he pulled out another one, holding it out to Spike leaning beside him against the wall. "Cig, bro?"

"No thanks, man. Tryin' to quit." Spike kidded while Thornton shrugged placing the extra cigarette back in its case.

"Ha, I should probably quit, low key." Thornton flicked his lighter, attempting to light a small fire.

Spike watched him as he held the light to his bud, waiting for a smoke. "You say…as you light your cigarette."

Thornton smirked, taking a long drag before blowing out excess smoke, returning with his own jaunty reply. "Kiss…my floatin' ass."

Spike gave Thornton a lighthearted shove of his shoulder, chuckling in response.

One wouldn't peg these two to be friends; they didn't share a lot of common interests. Thornton vibed more to Hip Hop and Chill Trap than Spike's Rock and Metalcore. Thornton would rather watch a good Comedy than get grossed out by the gory Horror flicks Spike enjoyed. Thornton favored some color compared to Spike's dark wardrobe. Despite these mundane differences, they found a shared sense of humor, sometimes engaging in harmless banter for what seemed like hours.

With Spike being an only child and Thornton having three younger sisters, it took no time for them to bond like brothers.

"Annnyway." Thornton changed the subject, taking another puff of his cigarette. "You and Rose are finally official, eh?"

"Yeah." Spike replied softly as he folded his arms, staring up at the sky cloaked in clouds, reflecting back to Rose agreed to be his girlfriend not even 24 hours prior. "Freakin' crazy, bro…"

Thornton flicked excess ash, turning to his friend with a crooked smile. "Well, no thanks to you, I'm now officially the seventh wheel of the group."

"Oh, you poor thing." Spike sarcastically remarked, leading Thornton to snicker as he held the cigarette to his mouth.

"In all seriousness man, I'm happy for your guys." Thornton commended, thinking about his high school best friend. "Rose is definitely in much better hands than that last creep she dated…"

Catching the later part of his sentence, Spike curiously turned to Thornton. "What chu talkin' bout, Thornton?"

Remembering he promised Rose he'd keep her ex in secrecy, Thornton glanced left and right in a subtle panic. "Uh…nothin'."

"Nuh-uh, bro." Spike lifted himself from the wall, hovering in front of Thornton as he inhaled more nicotine, serious in his brow. "Now you gotta tell me."

"Nah, bro." Thornton tried to refuse. "I promised I wouldn't tell nobody."

"Am I not Rose's boyfriend?"

"...Yeah?"

"Then I think I have a right to know."

"Man, look..." Thornton sighed the smoke out his lungs, making sure not to aim in Spike's face. "I can't tell you."

"Yes you can." Spike persuaded. "Or else I'll just keep interrogating it out of you."

_Mother F..._ Thornton should have never alluded to anything. Spike was relentless... and Rose was gonna kill him for this.

"Let's just say…her ex should really be in jail right now…" He noticed the perplexation on Spike's face, tapping more excess ash from his cigarette before he swiftly added "But you didn't hear it from me."

Spike held his skeptical gaze as Thornton dropped his cigarette and flew down to put it out with the toe of his sneakers. "I think that's a long enough break…" Thornton never felt so awkward in his life, picking up the dead bud to throw away in a trashcan. "We should get back to it."

Spike could do nothing but stlare at Thornton as he flew back to the back exit, following behind as Thornton twisted the handle to enter, traveling back to Thornton's dorm room. Rose only briefly mentioned an ex of some sorts, though she made it a point not to go into much detail. Should he have probed more, just so he'd be aware of what he was getting himself into? Or was it none of his business? The past is the past and has nothing to do with him, but if what Thornton said was true, then Rose had a _lot_ of explaining to do…

* * *

Wanda stared upwards with one arm against her pillow behind her head. The other continued to gently scratch Cosmo's scalp as his head rest just below her collar bone. Underneath the covers, he lay on his side with one leg over hers, cuddled over her chest like a baby coddled next to their mother. His thumb lay limp in his mouth, soft snores breathing through his lips. She lifted her head to view the lax in his features, tears dry beneath his lids, before resting her head to continue gazing at the sheetrock above her.

For a straight hour she could do nothing but listen to him cry his heart out. For an hour all she could do was hold him and rock him, try to comfort him as much as possible. When his cries finally subdued to weary sniffles, she brought him over to where they could lay down, and after poofing him into his tank top and underwear, she tucked them underneath her duvet where he eventually cried himself to sleep, leaving Wanda to her thoughts.

If given the chance to confront Mama Cosma all over again…what would she say? Would it even be worth it? No…though...calling her out her name and yelling all kinds of profanities might release pent up frustrations towards her and her devil of a character, but she knew it'd only make everything worse, more so for Cosmo. She remembered what her own mother was like, how judgmental she became of her. She remembered what it was like when her mother stopped thinking for herself and took Big Daddy's side more. She loved her, but oh, how she had grown to resent her. If her mother was anything like Mama Cosma, she'd probably take the truck that killed her and crash into her herself.

To say she was relieved for Cosmo to never deal with her manipulative, psychotic tactics again would be an understatement. She crushed her son's confidence so much that Wanda had to rebuild his self-esteem from the ground up. His freedom came with a cost…sticks and stone may break bones, but words can shoot holes through your heart. She can imagine Mama Cosma not being too happy with Cosmo axing her from his life. Whatever she said really did a number on him…the poor guy was so upset, and once again, Wanda had to rebuild what she tore down.

Remembering her phone was on silent, she picked it up from beside her and opened to see if she received any new messages. There was one from Spike which she already replied to, and there was a new message from Susie, reading **_"Is Coz okay?"_** from the message preview.

Using her thumb to type out a reply, Wanda responded with **_"He finally fell asleep; he went to confront his mother last night."_**

Maybe twenty seconds went by before she received a reply from Susie: **_"He saw his mother?! What happened?!"_**

Wanda typed her reply: **" _No idea, but whatever happened wasn't good."_**

It probably would have been easier to just switch the conversation to over the phone instead of using one hand to text, but she didn't want to risk waking Cosmo after he just went to sleep maybe thirty minutes ago.

Susie: **_"…I woke up to someone crying earlier. Was that him?"_**

Wanda: **_"Yeah…he didn't sleep at all last night either."_**

Susie: **_"Oh no, poor Cozzie…I really hope he feels better."_**

Wanda: **_"He might feel a little better after a good sleep."_**

Susie: **_"I just hope whatever happened didn't destroy him too much…"_**

Wanda: **_"Me too…but, anyway, how are you?"_**

Susie: **_"Honestly…not good."_**

Wanda: **_"Why? What's wrong?"_**

Susie: **_"*sigh*…I texted Wandro last night and didn't get a response until a couple minutes ago…turns out his parents set him and Juandissimo up to confront each other…"_**

Wanda: **_"Uh oh...what happened?"_**

Susie: **_"Girl…let's just say...everything went to hell and back."_**

* * *

Moss-laden marble pillars and bricks of grey-orange stood on either side of the ancient wrought-iron gates, 'Fairy World Cemetery' written in iron high about the entrance. The death of day and the birth of night casted dark shadows behind the rows of rustic gravestones, red and brown leaves flowing in the subtle gust of wind.

Juandissimo, the only source of life among buried urns filled with magic dust of those once lived, kept his hands in his pockets as he floated along the familiar path. As much as he wanted to be alone, he craved the company of someone who could never shun him.

Stumbling upon the tattered tombstone, Juandissimo took out his wand to poof a new bouquet of flowers to exchange the dead ones when Juanita visited maybe a couple a weeks ago. When she did visit, she had wanted them to visit her grave together, but with Juanita's cheer squad and music club extracurriculars and Juandissimo's course workload, they came across multiple conflictions in schedules. At least, that was the excuse Juandissimo used.

Setting the new bouquet in front of the grave, he took a seat Indian-style in front of it, his downhearted eyes reading ' _Estrella Magnifico Magicatio; sister of one, mother of two, and beloved of many, gone too soon'_ engraved across the center of the stone. He sat in the silence of melancholy, soaking in the irony of secluded company, as he tried to sort out the whirlwind of his mind.

Fighting his mental state everyday while staying on top of his studies proved difficult at best. Even if he bombed his finals, he wouldn't flunk out, but that alone took all of his effort to avoid the whole semester. Some days he didn't want to will himself out of bed. Some days, he didn't want to eat, didn't want to get dressed. Some days, he couldn't motivate himself to exercise or lose himself in his guitar. Some days…he wished he could just hide the rest of his life underneath his covers. At least then, nothing and no one could hurt him…

_…Your mother is_ never _coming back because of_ your _obstinacy!_

_…She died…because of_ you _!_

Those words burned like fire. Aside from when his mother died, last night had to be the absolute worst night of his life. His own family, his own flesh and blood…tore his soul in half and threw it back in his face. Their parents had to have known the outcome of their conflict; did they think they were going to come to a middle ground?! That was the first time they spoke since the last big argument, though that argument paled in comparison.

Sleep didn't come easy; the chaos of thoughts and flashbacks kept him awake, sitting within the company of nighttime darkness in his bed, and after staying up all day, his body was well past fatigued, his mind still ran restless…

There was no peace in his heart. There was no solace, only torment. Only torture. Torture in seeing the once love of his life love someone opposite of him, torture in seeing someone once so incredibly special in his life sprout such hatred and loathing towards him. Torture in selfishly holding his sister hostage in a game of tug-a-war between her two brothers, torture in someone he once called his brother…shoot such venom into his veins as if he stood trial on death row.

Hearing those piercing words only confirmed what he always knew in his heart to be true…it was all his fault. Here he was, staring at his mother's grave…because he made one of the biggest and dumbest mistakes he could ever possibly make. He can never hear her again…he can never speak to her again…he can never hug her again…he can never be held by her again…he can never see her smile again…he can never feel her love again...

Because of him.

"…hola, mamá…" he willed himself to speak just above a whisper, aware he wouldn't get a physical reply back. "…Te echo de menos…" **[…I miss you…]**

His ponytail swayed in the gentle autumn breeze as he continued, hoping that where ever she was…she was listening. Wherever she was, he hoped she could forgive him. Wherever she was, he could only hope she didn't hate him.

"…I wish…I could just lay in your arms…" he circled his arms around himself. "…I wish…I can hear you sing…"

His vision blurred with threatening tears, squeezing himself tighter.

"…I am trying…trying my hardest…" he closed his eyes from the burn, his emotions seeping into his voice. "….I am unsure….if I can keep going without you…"

Feeling the dam in his heart breaking, he hung his head low over in his anguish, single tears trickling from his shut eyes. "…P-por favor…vuelve a mi…" **[…please…come back to me…]** he wiped his tears with a shaky hand. "…No se si…p-puedo hacer esto mas…." **[…I don't know if…I can do this anymore…]**

As a child, he was mocked if he showed any form of negative emotion, shamed even. "¡Los hombres no son débiles!" **[Men are not weak!]** he'd hear come from his sperm donor's mouth. "¡Deja de llorar!" **[Stop crying!]** He was (previously) a Magicatio; Magicatios were tough, not little pansies! For a while, he used to feel the same way, that crying showed weakness. Sometimes when he felt sad or depressed, he'd convert that into energy to workout, or aggression. Other times, he'd bottle his pitiful emotions inside, burying them alive out of the despair that no one cared.

Now at nineteen years of age, his pain reduced him to that of a child crying for his mother. Because he wanted to be some dumb hero, he might as well have held the knife that split her throat open. Without her, there was no point in continuing such a miserable existence. Why go on anymore? Fighting to live only exacerbated the extent of his suffering. He was weak, a weak, pathetic excuse of a fairy. The little strength he had disappeared, the little will he had vanished.

What was the point of living, when the only thing worth living for…was no longer alive?

Doubling over from his pain, Juandissimo crouched to the ground, muffling his sobs with his face in his palms. The only source of comfort to his anguish was some of the flower pedals from the bouquet breaking off into the wind, circling around him as if to hush his cries.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Um, sorry to end on such a depressing note, but uh...stay tuned :)


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will be more relevant in other parts; since this is AU, the female fairies have the babies. I say that cuz I've made multiple mentions of a mother's womb and wanted to clarify. I dunno, I just prefer it that way.  
> Also...at this point this entire series should just be a giant trigger warning, but uh, there's mentions of sexual harassment in this chapter, so if that triggers you, I'm sorry. Without giving too much away, I'd suggest skipping to the section where it starts with Alewandro and Susie.

Gentle droplets of rain drummed against the window of Cosmo and Spike's dorm room, sprinkling from the limitless sky. No lights shone except the movie 'Starstruck' playing on the screen of Spike's mini-TV, small sheen of silver rainclouds cast through the window panes. Snuggled in the cocoon of Cosmo's polyester comforter, Cosmo snuggled behind Wanda as his arms wrapped around just beneath her chest. One hand tucked underneath, Wanda nestled her head against his pillow, allowing Cosmo's cheek to rest in the nape of her neck. Clothed in the comfort of their bedtime wardrobe, they enjoyed the Sunday afternoon to themselves. Sundays had consistently been Cosmo's day off, and on his day off, he was content with doing absolutely nothing.

The four weeks of their Christmas Break were spent primarily in Mr. Twinkle's abode. Spike's father insisted since Cosmo and Wanda had no biological family to go home to. They slept in separate rooms out of respect for living under Mr. Twinkle's household, and since Spike's room only had a single bed, Cosmo gave Wanda the guest bedroom where he used to live in exchange for the couch. Cosmo lived with Spike and his father before, so Wanda felt that she was the true guest of the home and wanted Cosmo to sleep in the bed he used to have, but Cosmo, being the gentleman he is, didn't want Wanda to be subjected to an old couch with stiff cushions, especially during days where he had to put in long hours at the Diner and his exhaustion could sleep soundly on any surface.

Wanda saw a change in Cosmo. Instead of his normal jovial, childlike demeanor, he became more subdued. He acted sort of…'normal,' which was quite abnormal for a fairy like him. She figured it had a lot to do with what happened with his mother, so over the break, she gave him the space he needed to reflect and sort his thoughts. At first, she assumed he'd bounce back within a few days' time; however, seven weeks since the confrontation, he didn't perk up like he normally would. Considering the hectic hours of work on top of focusing on his studies which, more often than not, left him drained, she wondered when she'd see him genuinely happy again.

"…Cosmo, honey?" Wanda lifted a loving hand to his cheek, shifting towards him. She knew he wasn't asleep due to the lack of soft snoring, but he'd hardly said a word. "You alright?"

"Mhmm." came his muffled response, half-closed eyes facing the tv.

"Are you sure?" Wanda asked again. "You can take a nap if you're tired."

"Mmmm…nuh-uh." Cosmo nuzzled against her palm. "I don't need one."

"Then why so quiet?"

"Don't feel like talking."

That was the excuse he'd always revert to. How much longer was he going to 'not feel like talking?' "…sweetie, are you sure nothing's wrong?"

"Yeah." Cosmo dully replied. "Why?"

Adjusting herself to sit up, Cosmo moved to let her lean back against his pillow. "I'm just concerned is all."

In spite of her worried glance, his casual expression remained. "But I'm fine."

"Are you, though?"

…was he?

Since that night, she hadn't called or texted him, and he hadn't seen her at the diner. She completely vanished from his life, almost two months since, and he could still hear his mother's shrieks in his head. Calling him pathetic, telling him he was nothing. Those were more or less the same things he's heard his whole life, and not just from her. Drilled into him by teachers and other kids, so much that he deprecated himself at the age where her understood the meaning and feeling of worthlessness.

Did it bother him to hear that horrid reminder because she chose those daggers as her parting words? The last thing he'd ever hear her say? Would she pretend she had no son at all, considering the son she had was a complete waste of her womb…

"Honey, talk to me."

Her gentle voice shook him from his thoughts, probably for the better. The way her eyes locked onto him sent a wave of anxiety crashing into him. He cherished her compassionate nature, but perhaps she cared too much. "…but I don't wanna talk."

"Then at least tell me what I can do." she compromised, bringing her knees to her chest. "I feel like there has to be something…"

"You don't have to do anything." he held his fixed gaze.

"But I miss you."

His head tilted slightly. "…I'm right here."

"No…I miss _you._ " Wanda tried to emphasize, holding a finger to his chest. "I miss the Cosmo I fell in love with."

…why would anyone miss a bumbling idiot who cries because the mommy he didn't want yelled and screamed at him? A dunce weak enough to get bullied and beat up every day? Granted, he didn't face many bullies so far in college, but who's to say they weren't out lurking somewhere. The Cosmo she fell in love with was mediocre at best…if it came down to a physical fight, he'd definitely lose as he had many times before. The Cosmo she fell in love with allowed his 'mommy' to tear him apart from her, ripping her heart to shreds. The Cosmo she fell in love with feared he'd never finding a love like hers again and tried to take his own life...all because he wasn't man enough to fight for her before. If he was such a man, that would have never happened…

The man she loved before was hardly a man at all.

**. . . . . .**

Sitting on Rose's single dorm room bed, Spike admired his girlfriend as she finished her makeup in her tabletop mirror, seated at her desk. The rain set a slight damper in their Sunday afternoon plans; this didn't stop Rose from wanting to go out to see 'Dawn of the Anti-Fairies' in theaters, followed by their dinner plans at Stargaze Sushi and Hibachi. Spike told her she didn't need to get all dolled up since their plans didn't involve anything too fancy, but Rose insisted, remembering Spike's compliment when he told her she looked amazing without makeup and he couldn't imagine the bombshell of a babe she'd be with makeup.

Feeling eyes behind her, Rose looked over her shoulder, seeing a small smile curve Spike's lips once she acknowledged him. "You're staring again." She remarked with a smirk, having caught Spike staring at her multiple times before.

Spike, of course, always had a good reason to stare. "…It's not my fault you're so beautiful."

"OMG, whatever." She jokingly rolled her eyes, returning to her makeup as she heard Spike chuckling behind her.

Rose was his first real relationship; he had no idea what he was doing or how he was doing it. Rose remained patient with him, assuring he didn't have to be perfect. Two months in, and the couple couldn't be happier. Nothing felt rushed between them, the awkwardness eventually went away. Everything seemed to align and their interactions were always authentic. Rose was beginning to see a lot more of the softer side of Spike she knew was there, and Spike found new reasons to admire her every single day.

They made a point to see each other over Christmas Break, mostly for public outings as things were still fairly new between them. They even had a few double dates with Wanda and Cosmo, as well as some triple dates with Susie and Alewandro. Thornton was not left out; they also made time to spend with him throughout the course of the break, and unsurprisingly, Thornton had his collection of PDA jokes just waiting for an opportunity.

Over the last few weeks, Spike thought back to his conversation with Thornton in regards to Rose's ex-boyfriend. Anytime he'd try to bring him up, Rose instantly shot him down. It was either that or she'd change the subject, or she'd start kissing him to where he'd lose his train of thought and forget what he was talking about. Maybe she just wasn't ready to talk, but if he was to avoid making the same mistakes as her ex, he wanted to know all the 'what not to dos' without learning the hard way.

"…why don't you ever wanna talk about your ex?"

Rose recapped her lipstick after application tighter than expected. "…why are you asking?"

"Just curious." Spike shrugged.

Recollections of such a dark past bubbled to the surface. She knew Thornton had to be lying when he stated he never told Spike anything about her ex, because he sure seemed inquisitive about it lately. "You're definitely nothing like him…"

"Oh? How's that?"

"Can you just _drop_ it?!" She spun around in her seat with an aggravated glare. "It's _really_ none of your business!"

His bruised ego lowered his gaze. This wasn't the first time he brought up her ex, but it was the first time she yelled at him for it. "…sorry." he muttered, pulling out his phone to text a reply to Thornton's earlier message.

Her defenses soon softened from the hurt in his expression. "No…I'm sorry…it's just still a really difficult subje-"

"Don't worry about it." came his mumbled response, keeping his frown on his phone screen. "I won't bring it up again."

She sighed in regret. Great, she hurt his feelings. She didn't mean to, she just…hated thinking about it. About a part of her life only a select few knew about, a part of her life she wanted to keep locked away in a cage and throw away the key.

Rising from her seat, she faced Spike with her hands behind her back, leaning against the back of her chair. Her pulse drummed in her ears; neither her heart nor her mind was ready for what she was about to reveal. Speaking quietly yet audible enough for Spike to hear from across the room, Rose held her eyes to her burgundy baby dolls.

"…my ex raped me."

Spike's eyes shot up with perplexation, seeing the sorrow in her avoidant gaze.

"…met in 10th grade…dated for a year…" Rose continued, clasping her timid hands together against her chest. "…during that year…he kept forcing me to sleep with him…"

Spike set his phone to the side on Rose's bed, listening intently.

"…when we first met…he seemed sweet…caring…charming…l-like you…" she shuttered at such an awful comparison. "…but then three months in…he changed…I didn't want to, I never wanted to…b-but he'd force himself on me…force himself in me…force me to…go down on him…he'd tell me no one else would want me…so I might as well give him what he wants…"

He rose from his seat, approaching slowly while she spoke.

"…if I refused…he'd slap me…he'd kick me…or threaten to kill me…" her eyes closed from the swell of resurfacing emotions. "I-I only stayed for so long because…I was scared of what he'd do to me…but Thornton found out when he saw a bruise over my eye one day…and he offered to come with me to turn him into the police…m-my parents were able to press charges…but all he got in return was a few months in fairy juvi and a restraining order…"

She felt a tug on her arm, opening her eyes to see Spike drawing her in closer to him. A single tear trickled from her teal eyes as he embraced her, scrunching a hand just above her ponytail puff as she clutched his shirt.

"…I felt so hopeless…" she whimpered into his chest, slightly cursing herself for running her makeup with her tears. "…almost half the jury presumed it was all consensual and I just 'didn't want it' as much as he did…just because we were dating…so…they just labeled him abusive…"

"And gave him a slap on the wrist…" Spike grumbled, nestling his chin in her hair. There was so much injustice when it came to cases like Rose's. "…freakin' figures…"

"…it's why I don't like to talk about it…" Rose wiped her running mascara from her cheek. "...it's why I just wanna forget him…forget it ever happened…"

"Pretending something like that never happened never helps." Spike lowered his hand to rub her back. "Trust me…I would know."

Rose pulled away to face him, allowing his thumb to wipe away silent tears. "…I-I'm sorry…" she sniffed, lowering her eyes in embarrassment for crying. "…you don't deserve to deal with this."

"You should be telling yourself that." Spike lifted her chin, making her peer into his solemn gaze. "And don't apologize…" he let his lips smile faintly. "…I got you."

Her arms squeezed around his torso, holding him tight as his arms embraced her shoulders. No other words were said, silenced by the warmth of each other's affection. She closed her eyes into his chest, no longer caring how many tears fell, and Spike rested his cheek in her hair, wishing he could hold her forever.

**. . . . . .**

Going over their Transfiguration homework before Monday's class, Susie and Alewandro sat side by side on top of Alewandro's cerulean-blue quilt, propped against the white brick walls with notebooks in their laps.

He and Juandissimo avoided each other all of Christmas Break. Alewandro spent majority of his time either with Susie and her Grandmother or with friends within the group, and if he was home, he cooped himself in his room. After the night of the 'confrontation,' saying all those horrible things about his late aunt to Juandissimo, Juanita felt awkward associating with him. Hearing those awful words come from his mouth, she didn't know if it was okay to trust him. He and Juanita were eventually able to talk things out, though it was hard for Juanita to forgive him. Juandissimo, against their parents' wishes, shut him out completely, and as far as Alewandro was concerned, it was probably for the better.

"You think instead of reading about how to transform into other things and the history behind it, we'd actually start doing it?" Susie flipped the page to her textbook, practically dying of boredom.

"I heard that does not start until next year." Alewandro kept his eyes on the written text as he replied.

"What's the point in learning all this stuff if we're not applying what we learn?" Susie had always been more of a 'hands on' student; she can read until her eyes give out, but without any type of engagement, it took longer and more effort for lessons to stick.

Turning to his girlfriend, Alewandro shut his books, setting them to the side. Susie complaining about studying meant a much-needed study break. "How about we take five?"

"Thought you'd never ask."

Closing her books with the quickness, Susie eagerly tossed her books to her right, making him chuckle. Scooting closer, Alewandro draped one arm around Susie's shoulders, and Susie happily nestled into his chest. Caressing just below her rolled up sleeves, he planted a delicate kiss on her forehead, just to see her smile.

She didn't know where she'd be without Alewandro. Before he came into her life, she believed she always had to be strong, indestructible. Independent and invulnerable to pain. Grandma Cocoa had a mother who hid her emotional trials and always encouraged putting up a front to keep an image of 'holding it together.' Susie never met her great-grandmother, but Susie learned the implications of the 'strong woman syndrome' when her grandmother never allowed to see her get upset. Grandma Cocoa showed her daughter every other emotion except sadness, and in the seldom moments she'd cry, Susie pretended to be a fly on the wall when her grandmother believed she wasn't around.

Indirectly, Susie learned to 'smile through the pain.' Strength and resilience meant shoving her struggles to the side to deal with them internally and plastering on a mask not to show society 'weakness.'

Emotional rawness wasn't her strong suit, and with Alewandro, with every chance his arms embraced her, the walls around her heart slowly crumbled, and sometimes this frightened her. It frightened her because him chipping away her walls meant her invincibility was beginning to crack. There weren't a lot of male figures in her life, and being around men (for the exception of her friends) made her slightly uncomfortable. She hid her fear from Alewandro in hopes not to scare him off, but overtime, the endangerment she felt dimmed, and she allowed him to make her feel safe which, in turn, gradually brought out the defenselessness she despised.

"What is on your mind?"

"Hmm?" Susie looked up from her thoughts to her boyfriend.

"You were staring off into space." Alewandro smiled subtly. "Something wrong?"

"…no?" she spoke slowly.

"Are you certain?"

Susie moved to where both knees straddled over his lap with a gentle grip on his shoulders. "Do you love me?"

Alewandro grew puzzled; when did he not? "…si?"

She leaned in to where their noses almost touched, and he could see a tender yearn behind her indigo eyes. "…don't leave me?"

Instinctively, he held her by the waist, softly bringing her torso nearer to his. "…why would I leave you?"

"Just promise me?" She brushed the tip of her nose against his, bashful eyes fixed on him. "I don't want you to leave."

Staring lovingly into her eyes, an amorous grin curved his lips. "Neither do I."

Hearing the twist of the door handle, their eyes darted to the door to see Thornton enter the room, shutting the door behind him.

"Ha, I would say 'get a room you lovebirds' but uh…" Thornton scratched his nose, half smiling.

Alewandro scratched his head with a nervous laugh as Susie lifted herself from him. "…lo siento, Thornton."

"Nah bro, it's my bad." Thornton's friendly smile responded. "Probably should've checked before comin' in."

At the beginning of the semester, Alewandro moved into Thornton's room in Leo Hall, two floors up from where he used to stay. Thornton had no problem applying to room with him before the end of the semester, knowing ahead of time that Alewandro refused to room with Juandissimo again and vice versa. Coincidentally, Thornton's old roommate was Cupid, so they essentially just switched roommates, and it worked out since Cupid had no issue rooming with Juandissimo.

"About to go to work?" Susie asked as Thornton pulled out his work uniform from his drawer.

"Yup. Gettin' that overtime." Thornton confirmed, thankful that he'd have the next few days off after this last shift. "Probably gonna be comin' in pretty late, Wandro. Just FYI."

"It is all good, Thornton." Alewandro assured with a friendly grin. "Honestly, I might still be up by the time you get back."

"Still on the night owl schedule, huh?" Thornton smirked, taking off his white vans for his black work sneakers.

"I keep telling him to do something about that." Susie commented, ruffling Alewandro's hair. "But does he listen? No."

"Ha, men." Thornton joked. "Never wanna listen."

"Ever!" Susie played along, folding her arms.

"Way to gang up on me, you two." Alewandro indulged, used to their antics.

"You make it too easy." Thornton grinned, using his wand to change out of his regular clothes.

Susie looked to her boyfriend with a satisfied smile. Admittedly, Alewandro was not the first boy she ever dated, and fortunately, he was the first guy to show her what the love of a man truthfully felt like. Living most of her life without a father, it took a slew of toxic guys to learn when she finally found a good one.

They say no one in this world can love a girl more than her father, but heartbreak came way before any boy had the chance to.

**. . . . . .**

Patters of rain bouncing off her umbrella, Blonda floated up the path to Professor Cardician's home, ringing the doorbell so he can let her in.

Her had been sober for probably 30% of the four weeks she visited for Christmas break as his intemperance in liquor progressed to a functioning alcoholic. He managed to continue running a business and managing trash collection contracts while under the influence, and after twelve to thirteen hours straight at the office, he'd come home to open a bottle of bourbon to further drown the strain of the day away. The heaviness of his drinking led to a horrible bout of magicumonia and the development of osteoporosis, but even with the slow deterioration of his own body, he still sought after the numbing of liquor. It's why she chose to stop worrying about him because it was easier to deal with him that way. If she cared too much, then the attention he'd much rather give to alcohol than his own daughter salted the wounds that will never heal.

Tensions between her and the triplets still rang high. As long as she kept talking to Professor Cardician, they had every single problem with it. Little did they know, he was her saving grace; she could talk to him anytime about anything, and he was nothing short of patient and understanding. They couldn't really see each other, simply because he lived over an hour away, she had no driver's license, she wasn't about to ask the triplets to drive her every time she wanted to see him, and despite him living in a drunken stupor majority of the time, she couldn't risk Big Daddy finding out about their relationship every time he wanted to drive down to see her.

In spite of their distance, the love and attention he willingly and openly gave to her made her feel so much closer to him.

Professor Cardician opened the door to the beautiful fairy of flaxen curls floating before him, smiling upon her beauty. He pulled her by the hand and kissed her softly on the lips, welcoming her inside from the rain. "Did anyone see you?"

"Not that I could see." Blonda shook her umbrella to let out excess water before propping it against the wall closest to the front door. "It's raining so, obviously not a lot of folk are gonna be out and about."

"Hmm…true."

After locking the door, Professor Cardician held Blonda by her waist as she rested her arms around his neck, so entranced by such rosy, fuchsia orbs. "Wanna go see a movie?"

Her brow arched in hesitation. "Aren't you worried someone from school will see us?"

"You only had me for one semester." Professor Cardician reminded, circling his arms more so her waist drew close to his torso. "Technically, you're no longer my student."

"I know, but I'm still a student…you're still a professor." Blonda pointed out. "Technically…we're not supposed to be dating at all."

"Well…" he smooched her forehead. "…since you're no longer on my roll call, _technically_ ….it doesn't matter; we're two consenting adults…right?"

"…yeah?"

"…and we love each other." His lips moved from her forehead to her nose, leaving a little peck on the tip. "…right?"

"Uh-huh."

"So there's nothing to worry about."

Her head leaned back when his lips met the hollow of her neck, closing her eyes in bliss of his soft yet firm smooches as his hands traveled the curve of her hips.

"…besides." Professor Cardician kissed her neck once more before reaching a hand behind her head, positioning their lips to lock in one, sensual kiss. "…I wanna take you out on an actual date."

"…an actual date?" Blonda chuckled.

"Yes." He smiled warmly. "You deserve that and more."

She matched his smile with her own. "…I literally can't stand you sometimes, you know that?"

"Oh?" He brushed his lips to hers, teasing a kiss. "You can't stand me, huh?"

"Yes!" She laughed as he raspberried her cheek before pushing him gently away. "Like when you do that!"

"What about…" his hands roamed down her hips to just beneath her hem, his fingers crawling underneath her dress. They slipped inside her underwear, finding their intended target, and he gleamed at the sight of her eyes closing from the pleasure in her gasp. "…when I do this?"

"...I…don't..." her words scrambled in daze of her brain, his fingers dancing in a spot she couldn't resist. "…d-don't stop…"

**. . . . . .**

Shaking the excess water from his umbrella, Cupid used his wand to enter the double doors of Leo Hall. He passed a few students hanging in the student lounge, watching mindless television or engaged in a game of pool, as he floated up the steps to the second floor. Reaching into his blush-pink coat pocket for his dorm keys, he hovered through the halls until he found his door, using his keys to twist the door handle.

Entering the room, he noticed none of the overhead lights were on and the window blinds were closed, allowing very little light to seep through the otherwise dark surroundings. At first, he assumed Juandissimo wasn't there, but when he flicked the lights on, he saw Juandissimo sprawled on his bed, staring at the ceiling with half lidded eyes. Cupid arched his brow as he propped his umbrella against the wall next to the door, taking off his coat to sling over the mounted coat hanger. He left for the library maybe five hours ago; had Juandissimo been lying in the same spot this whole time?

"I'll never understand how you can sit in the dark like this." Cupid chuckled, tossing his backpack beside his bed as he flew over to open his side of the blinds, only pulling on them just enough to cast blind shadows across his pink duvet. Setting his keys down on his desk, he took a seat in his chair, reading a text from Blonda. "It's not good for you, y'know."

His comment was met with still silence.

"…Juandissimo?" Looking up from his phone, Cupid stared at the drooping eyes of his lifeless roommate, knowing he was still alive from the subtle rise and fall of his chest. "Juandissimo!"

"…Hmm?" came Juandissimo's muddled response, struggling to keep his eyes open.

"What's up with you?" Cupid found Juandissimo's behavior to be extremely odd, even for Juandissimo.

When no reply came, Cupid turned to the white bottle standing on Juandissimo's desk, opaque enough to where he couldn't see what was inside. Curious, he went over to grab the mysterious bottle. "Juandissimo." Cupid shook Juandissimo to get his attention. "What is this?"

"…wha?"

Cupid noticed Juandissimo's response came out slurred. "This." He pointed to the bottle, holding it in front of Juandissimo's line of vision. "What is this?"

Juandissimo gradually lifted himself to a sitting position, grabbing his head and closing his eyes to keep the world around him from spinning. His head weighed a ton, finding it difficult to hold up. Every time he tried to blink, double vision joggled more fog in his mind. His could hear his heart thumping in his ears, though every ligament of his body tingled numb.

Juandissimo could describe his Christmas Break in one word; lost. His parents would try to strike conversations with him, yet he'd only half pay attention or he'd escape in his mind once they started conversing among themselves. Juanita tried getting him to talk, yet he had little to say to her, and when she'd ask for a hug, she felt distant in his arms, like hugging air. Most of it was spent wondering the streets, allowing his mind to zone out into worlds unknown. Sometimes he'd lose himself so much that he'd lose track of time. At one point his parents almost called the police because he wouldn't answer his phone and he went missing for almost 24 hours, and though he eventually returned home, he didn't want to be found.

Now that he was rooming with Cupid, he knew not to burden him. He knew how Cupid was; he knew Cupid would want to try and distract him with something mundane, or try to cheer him up somehow. Juandissimo didn't want cheering up, he didn't want distractions. He was well past that…

He needed an escape, and he stumbled upon just the thing to make his thoughts to disappear, even if but a moment.

Now that he shared a room with Cupid, he didn't want to burden him. Cupid had such a big heart…he didn't deserve his empathy. Cupid would try and distract him with something mundane, or try to cheer him up somehow. He felt that was the farthest from what he deserved. Juandissimo didn't want cheering up, he didn't want distractions. He was well past that…

"…Juandissimo." Cupid spoke gently, unable to hide his worry. "Are you okay?"

"…have you…" Juandissimo resorted to two hands holding both temples, elbows supported against his crouched knees. "…ever felt…you were here…somewhere else?"

Cupid paused. "…what are you talking about?!"

As Juandissimo found the strength to raise his head, Cupid saw the dilution in his pupils, red veins squiggled in the sclera as if he hadn't slept for days. "…I…" Juandissimo slowly touched his cheeks with wobbling fingers. "…cannot feel…"

_…what in the holiest?_

Staring at the bottle in hand, Cupid twisted the cap to pop it open. He took a whiff inside, his nose filled with aromas of something sweet and faint burn. Curious, he stuck out his tongue and held the bottle to get a sip. A drop of some kind of thick liquid coated his tongue, followed by a sweet yet alcoholic burning of his taste buds, and he gagged in response, repulsed by what cursed his mouth. He then quickly set the bottle back where it stood before and turned to see Juandissimo fold his arms over his knees, his half-lidded eyes staring off into space.

Something didn't seem right.


	12. Chapter 12

Blaring sirens shook Cupid from his beauty sleep, sirens that were not his normal alarm.

Groggily blinking slumber away, Cupid rolled over to view the clock on his desk, 7:30am printed in digital red. 7:30? Nope, definitely not his alarm; his first class of the day wasn't for another two hours. Remembering Juandissimo had an early class, Cupid repositioned himself on his stomach and turned his head facing away, figuring Juandissimo would soon realize his alarm was going off. Cupid could never sleep through an alarm as obnoxious as loud sirens, so he hoped soon would come sooner than later…

Twenty seconds past by…

Then another twenty…

…then another.

At that point, a whole minute had past of the same siren blasting his eardrums…

Cupid. Was. Livid.

"Juaaaaaaaaannn!" Cupid groaned, lifting his head from his pillow to face Juandissimo's side of the room. "Turn it ooooooooofffff!"

Juandissimo, resting on his stomach with his back ponytail facing Cupid, didn't respond, still as stone aside from the subtle rise and fall of his wings.

_…I know good and well he can hear this monstrosity…_ "Juandissimo!" Cupid called out a little bit louder, only to be met with more silence. "JUAN…DIS…SIMO!"

This was strange to Cupid; Juandissimo was never that heavy of a sleeper. Usually, his alarm would only go off for maybe three seconds before he'd get up to turn it off, sometimes earlier than that to where Cupid wouldn't hear it at all. The few times Cupid came into the room at odd hours of the night, the slightest bump of a chair woke him up. How was it that he couldn't hear an alarm literally making Cupid's ears ring in his head?

With an irritated grumble, Cupid took his wand from his desk and used magic to shut off Juandissimo's alarm, sighing in relief the moment his ears could finally stop ringing. Setting his wand back, Cupid floated out of his bed over to his roommate's, wiping excess sleep from his eyes. He leaned down to shake Juandissimo on his back, shaking him harder the longer he received no reaction.

_Geez Leweez!_ No matter how hard Cupid shook him, Juandissimo didn't stir. _Whatever's got him this knocked, he's gotta put me on…_

Looks like this calls for more drastic measures.

Cupid flew back to his side of the room to retrieve his wand, and when he returned to Juandissimo, he poofed a spray bottle in his hand. He hovered over to where he could see more of Juandissimo's profile, and he aimed the bottle directly on his cheek, giving it a few squirts of water. He made the bottle disappear once Juandissimo shot up in his bed, watching him shake his head after an aggressive attempt to wipe the water from his face.

"I'm sorry, but I had no other way of getting you to wake up!" Cupid griped as Juandissimo held his head, grunting in pain. "I don't have class for two hours, but now I'm up because of your ridiculous alarm!"

Juandissimo felt as if a jack-hammer was drilling into his skull, and Cupid's yelling didn't make it better.

"Now, get up!" Cupid turned away to return to his mattress kingdom. "You don't wanna be late for class _again_ , do you?!" His irritation soon disappeared from the sound of someone gagging behind him, turning around to see Juandissimo use a hand to cover his mouth as if to keep puking. "…Juan, are you alright?"

His had his answer when Juandissimo hurried to pick up the trashcan by his bed, vomiting straight blue bile.

"OMG, Ew!" Cupid cringed, the sounds of heaving alone disgusting him. "Don't tell me you have that stomach virus going around! I don't wanna get sick!"

Coughing up the last of his bile, Juandissimo set the trashcan back down, the soreness in his throat rasping his voice. "…it is not a virus…"

"Then why the heck else are you hacking up a liver?!"

Juandissimo coughed as he held his head in his palms, wishing the churning in his stomach and the pounding in his head would both just go away. His throat felt dry as a desert and pain throbbed his eyes every time he tried to open them. Wanting to be sure for himself that Juandissimo didn't have a virus, Cupid flew over to him, removing his hands from his face to feel his forehead. He placed his other hand on his own forehead to compare, and from what he felt, Juandissimo's body temperature felt pretty normal.

That's when he recalled the weird bottle from the day before, the bottle with the weird substance he didn't recognize. "What was in that bottle that's got you so hungover?!"

Juandissimo leaned backwards to lay on his covers, finding the spinning in his head less dizzying that way. "Nothing…"

"Nothing?!" Cupid's hands fell to his sides. "You can't think of a better answer?! Like, oh, I dunno, the _truth_?!"

"Por favor…" Juandissimo croaked, crossing his arms over his closed eyes. "…keep your voice down…"

"I'm not even talking that loud!" Cupid yelled, though to Juandissimo, he might as well have been speaking through a megaphone. "No one told you to get plastered!"

Not bothering to respond, Juandissimo released a heavy sigh. His day hadn't even started, and he already wanted it to be over…

**. . . . . .**

"As you all know, or, _should_ know," Professor Voila continued in her Fairy World History lecture, using her white chalk to draw a timeline of events on her chalkboard. "hundreds of millenniums ago, fairies were once fairy warriors who fought a long war against The Darkness."

With his head sitting on his folded arms, Cosmo let out a small yawn as Wanda scribbled notes in her notebook. If it wasn't meddling voices in his mind disrupting his sleep, working six days a week came with its strains. Sleeping in class became less of an issue, though the difficulties of refraining from such persisted.

With her back turned to her class, Professor Voila wrote specific years on her timeline that she would be covering for remaining thirty minutes of class. Gradually opening the door to the classroom, Juandissimo made sure Professor Voila still faced the board before sneaking quietly inside, slowly shutting the door in attempt to not disrupt her train of concentration. Hearing the subtle click of the door closing, Wanda lifted her eyes from her notebook, observing Juandissimo hover up the steps to find his row to take his seat…

"Late again, are we, Mr. Magnifico?"

"Madre joda…" he muttered under his breath. How could he ever forget…Professor Voila practically had eyes in the back of her head.

"This is the third time in just three weeks alone, Mr. Magnifico." Professor Voila turned to face her class, eyeing Juandissimo with a stern glare. "One more tardy results in an automatic fail."

"Lo siento, Professor…" Juandissimo sighed, feeling another migraine coming on. "…it will not happen again."

"Which is what you said last time." Professor Voila bitterly pointed out. "Perhaps staying after class to clean off the board without magic will help you keep your promises."

It took everything in his power not to roll his eyes.

"Glad we got that settled." Professor Voila assertively stated before turning back to her chalkboard. "Now, back to what I was saying…"

Wanda watched Juandissimo drop his backpack on the desk, pinching the bridge of his nose as he took his seat. Using his backpack as padding, he laid his head in his arms crossed, not bothering to pretend to pay any attention.

Something about his peculiar behavior worried Wanda; his tardiness seemed more intentional, half the time his attendance felt forced. There'd be times where he seemed less engaged than usual, like his mind was somewhere else. He certainly wouldn't admit anything to her. It wasn't her business, and he'd have no problem reminding her so.

Just because it wasn't her business, however, didn't mean she couldn't be curious…

* * *

Pulling into the driveway of her grandmother's home, Susie saw an elderly woman with a graying braided bun open her front door, having anticipated her arrival. Chocolate skin riddled with aging crinkles, her red nightgown covered her down to her ankles, footed with indigo fuzzy slippers matching her wrinkled eyes.

Once in park, Susie cut off her engine and exited the vehicle, habitually locking her doors with her car remote. Susie could have gone to visit her grandmother at any point during the week, yet she chose to visit after her 3:00pm class, seeing as how Mondays had less traffic than any other day of the week.

"Hey there, sugah'!" Grandma Cocoa's excitement to see her granddaughter brought a warm smile to Susie's cheeks. "How's my baby?!"

"Good." Susie embraced her grandmother in a gentle squeeze. "No complaints. How're you?!"

"Just fine." Grandma Cocoa replied, breaking the hug. "C'mon in!"

Susie followed her grandmother inside the home, immediately welcomed by the aroma of chocolate. Coincidentally, Grandma Cocoa always loved the smell of fudge, so she'd light all of her chocolate and cocoa-scented candles placed throughout the home, especially the two resting above the fireplace in the living room. Susie would always use this as an excuse to why she had such a sweet tooth, and every single time, Grandma Cocoa would laugh as if she heard the joke for the first time.

When Susie closed the front door behind her, her indigo eyes noticed an ebony fairy with similarly colored eyes staring back at her, seated on the living room couch. His black cornrolls matched the kink of her hair, his black short-sleeved polo practically swallowing his frail physique. His torn, faded jeans sagged slightly and his scuffed black sneakers aged terribly with the torn soles hanging off. Watching as he rose from the couch, hovering in one spot, the suppressed memories of her childhood resurfaced, and her bones quivered underneath their muscle.

"…h-hey Susie-Lue." The fairy shyly greeted in his raspy deep voice, waving an awkward hand before tucking it back in his pants pocket. He nervously scratched the side of his head, clearing the frog in his throat. "…i-it's me."

Calling her 'Susie-Lue' was all the reminder she needed to recognize the fairy who stood before her. Never in a million millennia did she believe she'd see him again…

Grandma Cocoa sensed her granddaughter's uneasiness and reached out to her with a tender hand, a hand Susie backed away from with a startled stare.

"…Why is he here?!" Susie's question sounded more like a defensive statement.

"To rebuild what he lost." Grandma Cocoa purely explained, predicting Susie's reaction. "He wants to get his life togetha'."

Susie wanted to trust her grandmother's words, but given her history with him, she found them hard to believe.

"…Susie-Lue, I…" when the fairy made an advance towards Susie, her first instinct was to back away. "…I-I'm sorry."

She couldn't stop her eyes from glossing, staring at the man she once called her father. "No, you're not…"

"But I am, honey…" he pleaded, hoping he could get through to his daughter. "…I'm sorry…for leavin' you…"

"You abandoned me!" Eyes shot with fury, Susie couldn't understand why he'd come back now out of all times.

"I know…" he floated a few more inches closer while his daughter floated away, her rejection stinging his heart more than he thought it would. "…a-and I look back on that and I regret everything…"

Grandma Cocoa remained silent hovering a couple feet away, ensuring not to intervene. Her son requested he do most of the talking, believing it could prove to Susie that his intentions were pure.

"…I hope you can forgive me…" he continued, feeling his own tears press behind his eyes. "…I wanna right my wrongs."

"Fifteen years and _now_ you wanna right your wrongs?!" Susie spat, refusing to let her tears fall.

"It took fifteen years for me to realize how the Fairoin was fryin' my brain…" he admitted, a hand over his chest. "I was knockin' on death's door! And that's when I learned…I couldn't live like this no more…"

"Why come back here?!" Susie still wasn't sold. "Grandma doesn't need the stress of dealing with a druggie like you!"

"Sugah', it's alright." Grandma Cocoa interjected, speaking for herself. "I asked to take him in."

Towards her grandmother, Susie had never glared harder. "Why would you do that?!"

"He's still my son." Grandma Cocoa remained calm in her response as her granddaughter shook her head in denial. "He needed somewhere ta go once he finished rehab, and I'm all he has."

She glanced back to the fairy before her, distrust prevalent in her eyes. Her grandmother's compassion wasn't unknown to her, otherwise, Susie would have struggled living in the system, jumping from house to house wondering if she'd ever find a forever home. What she couldn't understand was why her compassion had any room for the son that stole money from her, the son that would dump his child on her just to go shoplift or sell his body to support his habit. Whenever he'd go missing for multiple days in a row, sometimes full weeks, she vaguely remembered her grandmother sitting on her bed, muffling her sobs to keep Susie from hearing them when she didn't realize she was sitting outside the door to her bedroom, listening to her heart cry out for his safety, cry out for his return, crying for his life, crying to all the pain he was causing to his own offspring...

How, after all that he's put her through, can she just accept him back as if none of that happened?

"…Susie-Lu-"

"Stop _calling_ me that!"

The male fairy winced slightly from his daughter's sudden outburst. His soul was crushed by her anger mixed in the sadness of her falling tears. "…Susie…"

"I _hate_ you!" Everything came rushing back in Susie's mind, including blurred visions of grown men on top of her four-year old body. As blurred and choppy as those memories were, her grandmother eventually told her the drastic measures her father went through to get money for Fairoin…

"Susie I'm sorry!" the crack in his voice brought sympathy to his mother's face. "I can't change the past, but I can change the future! Please…" his hand reached out to grab Susie's before she had time to react, begging in his eyes. "...please find it in your heart to forgive me…"

Confliction seeping through the cracks, Susie snatched her hand away, the brick walls of her guard chipping away just as the suffering she suppressed slowly slithered its way in.

* * *

Returning from visiting with Rose in her room, Wanda floated through Pisces Hall to the room she shared with Susie, thinking she'd be back from visiting with her grandmother. She wasn't quite certain since Susie never responded to her text, and it wasn't like Susie not to respond.

Taking out her keys, she twisted the lock and opened the door, entering into darkness with the only light being that from both windows, moonlight seeping through the blinds. She assumed Susie may not had come back from how dark the room was. That was until her eyes adjusted to the dark after closing the door and she could make out a silhouette of Susie laying on her side, facing the wall to her bed.

"…Susie?" Wanda called out softly, waiting for any reaction before she approached. Shadows of her blinds casted lines of light and dark over Susie's still form, so it was difficult to see Susie's eyes for any indication that perhaps she could be sleeping. Then again, if Susie was sleeping, she wouldn't be laying on top of her covers, nor would she be fully clothed. "…are you awake?"

The faint sniffle let it be known that Susie was far from asleep, rolling over to face her best friend. Wanda flew over to her side of the room to turn on her lamp, her heart instantly wrought with worry at the sheen glistening from her damp cheeks.

"Susie…" she went to her friend, bending down to face level as Susie curled further into herself. "…what's wrong?"

Susie's weak whimper made Wanda worry more. Susie was never one to show that anything bothered her, nor was she ever one to succumb to any sort of sadness, at least, never in front of Wanda.

As a small sob escaped, Susie shut her eyes from hot new tears rolling down her cheeks. "…I-I saw my dad…"

**. . . . . .**

Following the familiar path to his girlfriend's room, Alewandro floated to the fourth room on his left, knocking to make his presence known. He didn't have to wait long before Wanda opened the door, greeting him as she let him inside. The sight of Susie crying silently with her back against the head of her bedframe broke his heart. He's never seen her so upset…

"Susie's lucky to have a boyfriend like you." Wanda smiled, touching Alewandro by his shoulder. "You're always there when she needs you."

"And Susie is lucky to have a great friend like you." Alewandro returned. "You are always so compassionate, something this world needs more of."

"I'm gonna go see what Cosmo's up to." Wanda put her dorm key in her small purse, holding the door open to prevent it from slamming shut. "Figured you two could use the space."

"Gracias, Wanda." Alewandro thanked, turning to his girlfriend curled in the same position. "I will let you know if anything changes."

"Okay."

Alewandro went over to sit beside Susie on her bed after Wanda left, propping himself against her wall as he sat next to her feet. Watching her closely, he rested a hand over her forearm, caressing it with his thumb. Her eyes remain lowered, no other emotion other than the sorrow trickling down.

"...bebé." Alewandro didn't want to pressure her, speaking gently to let her know she was safe. "…bebé talk to me."

Her lips remained sealed, no motion to wipe her tears away.

"…please, talk to me?" Alewandro tried again, searching for any sign of emotion in her expression.

Instead, Susie lifted herself from her bed and hovered slightly away from the bed, feeling ice-blue eyes staring from behind. Her arms folded against her, her eyes remained blank with hushed tears.

Bernard Sprinkle III, Cocoa Sprinkle's only son. Despite sharing the same last name, Susie felt no correlation to him. The first four years of her life were somewhat of a blur, yet the little she did remember scarred her. If she wasn't dumped off for her grandmother to watch over her, she would be left alone to fend for herself. She remembered distinct instances of her crying, screaming for her father, starving in a foiled diaper. When he'd come back, she remembered him being…spaced out. His eyes would droop, his mouth would hang open, and the veins would always bruise. He'd fall asleep upright sometimes, bent over with his arms hanging, his wings withering in the air as the conscious part of his mind battled with unconsciousness.

The times where he'd bring home strange men always frightened her, because her father made it clear those men were there for one purpose only. When times were toughest, he resorted to selling his own daughter's young body. How disgusting they had to be to want to do so many horrible, inappropriate things to a literal baby! Her grandmother told her she was lucky she was able to heal and everything down there wasn't completely mutilated…the police report in her battle for custody revealed some awful truths that no child should have to endure, grown men sticking random objects in places they shouldn't, including their own members.

The first four years of her life, she remembered feeling alone…feeling scared…defenseless. Her father treated her like just another quick buck…when he actually thought about his daughter, that is. She remembered bits and pieces of her eighth birthday, the first time he attempted to come back in her life. She recalled her grandmother yelling at her father…pleading for him to open his eyes to the damage he was inflicting on his own child. He had become so addicted that he lacked the mental compacity to see the error of his ways. Her grandmother gave him an ultimatum; his daughter, or drugs…

Her young ears could never unhear the words that came out his mouth next…

_Drugs make me forget…they make me happy._

As if the daughter his late wife died to birth into this world couldn't bring him happiness…

The more her mind reveled in such an awful memory, the more Susie's rage boiled within. The more her rage boiled within…the less she could control. She tried so hard to lock the tiger of her wrath inside its cage. No one can see her upset…not when she's supposed to be this vibrant, exuberant personality everyone came to know and love. Yet her animosity corroded her emotional bottle like acid, and everything inside of her mind snapped.

Acting on impulse, she hurried to her desk and thrashed anything her hands could touch, a shrill screech growling in her throat. Everything in her path suffered; her chair, her phone, her pencil holder, any books sitting on her desk, her keys, anything within her grasp. Alewandro sprung from her bed and rushed over to her, trying to grab hold of her arms to stop her rampage.

"LET _GO_ OF ME!" came her angered shriek, thrashing against the force of Alewandro's strong restraint. His arms cuffed her body against him, restricting any movement in the upper part of her arms. "LET _GOOOO_!"

Her screams only tightened his grip, refusing to let her go. Susie hardly lost control, and after seeing so first hand, he gave himself a mental note to never, ever let it happen again.

Whether it was exhaustion or the realization that she was trapped and couldn't break free, her thrashes slowly subdued into aching sobs, her hands reaching to hold his arms against her. He kissed nape of her neck before resting his chin against her shoulder, and with her eyes shut from the pain of rushing tears, she cried in his embrace.

* * *

Amid the wintry air beneath the noble-stary black, the half-moon cast a soft glow against Wanda's porcelain skin. Part of her didn't want to disturb Cosmo; he had taken that day off due to his exhaustion and needed to get some rest instead, but he insisted she come over when she told him Alewandro was on his way to comfort Susie. She could have just poofed to Cosmo's room, but the air was so quiet around her, she wanted to embrace the tranquility. Not a lot of students were out and about considering how late it was getting, so why not take the long way to Taurus Hall.

Turning down the path towards the mini amphitheater, Wanda caught a glimpse of Juandissimo alone on the steps, sitting with his head in his crossed arms bent over his knees. One of his hands dangled an opaque white bottle, surprised the bottle hadn't dropped from how limp his hand was. Once again…she knew it was none of her business. But she couldn't help but question why he'd be sitting like that alone outside at 10:30pm on a Monday night…

Taking her chances, Wanda flew over to Juandissimo, stopping a couple feet away. He didn't hear her approach, so she called out to him. Normally he'd react to anyone calling his name, but this time, nothing. Not even a flinch.

She then flew a little closer, close enough to tap him on the shoulder. He responded to her tapping him, though when he lifted his head, Wanda noticed that his half-lidded eyes were quite red and his pupils almost blacked out his whole iris. If it wasn't Juandissimo, maybe she wouldn't have found it so concerning.

"…are you okay?" was the only thing she could think to ask.

Juandissimo's eyes tried to focus on his surroundings, though he seemed dazed and confused. "…h-how did I get here?"

"…do you not remember?" Wanda cocked a brow.

His delirious eyes slowly began to droop, struggling to keep his head elevated. Wanda had never seen him in such a state before…not even after multiple drinks at Senior Night.

Perhaps…it was because of whatever was in that bottle of his…

Wanda snatched the bottle from his hands, snapping him momentarily out of his daze, and twisting the cap, Wanda took a look to what was inside. The smell of cough syrup mixed with some kind of vodka flared in her nose, and holding the bottle to a good catch of moonlight, she could see that was inside had a pigment of highlighter blue. With all of those factors, she knew exactly what it was, and she wished she didn't.

She leaned down to lift Juandissimo's chin with her hand, forcing his baggy eyes to look at her. "Why in heaven's name are you drinking Spell?!"

'Spell', is the mystical yet toxic concoction of over-the-counter cough syrup with vodka; it's not illegal unless the fairy is underage or is caught intoxicated in a public space. The combination can be found in any store and is easy to make, but regardless of how sought after the euphoric effects can be (drink it and you'll be 'put under a spell,' hence the name,) this combination is extremely dangerous for fairies to consume in large amounts due to the potentially lethal interactions between both active ingredients.

The Juandissimo Wanda remembered wouldn't have gone to such lengths no matter how bad things were. He was the one to first break her own addiction of self-harm, coming to her aid in her darkest hour. He reminded her that her life was precious, that she didn't deserve to feel she were better off dead. The Juandissimo that appeared before her almost mirrored his imprisoned father's addiction to mind-altering substances, and that worried her greatly. She didn't have to ask why he turned to Spell as an escape; she knew the reason well enough. She just needed to know why Juandissimo felt that slowly killing himself was the only answer.

Shoving her hand away from his chin, Juandissimo managed to hold her gaze long enough to mutter "…why does it matter to you?"

"That's irrelevant." Wanda firmly stated, still holding the bottle in her hand. "Answer the question."

He tried to stand up from his seat, but when the world around him started to spin in his eyes, his vertigo made him stumble to the ground. She watched him hold his head in his palm while the other supported his weight, shutting his eyes when they couldn't focus. Thinking it was the right thing to do, she bent down to his level, extending a helping hand, but he refused her hand, pushing it away.

"…I…do not need your help…" he mustered the strength to force himself off the ground one knee at a time. "…I-I am fine…"

"Juandissimo, no you're not." Wanda was no fool, and out of it or not, she wasn't about to let him peg her as one.

When his head stopped spinning enough for him to at least open his eyes, Juandissimo wobbled in his flight, his dilated eyes fixed in a glare. "…Givvit back."

Wanda shifted her eyes to the bottle before shifting back to Juandissimo, standing her ground by keeping the bottle away from his reach. "…You've had enough."

And that he has, because as far as he was concerned, he's had enough of dealing with her…

Willing his wings to fly, Juandissimo floated passed her, seemingly no destination in mind. She would have gone after him, but Cosmo probably wondered where she was by now. As she watched him fly away, she eyed the white bottle in her hand…

How could Juandissimo stoop so low?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Firstly.  
> I do not condone any drug or alcohol abuse in any way, shape, or form. I just like making characters miserable in my stories lol.  
> Secondly.  
> 'Spell' is sort of my rendition of 'Lean' for fairies, and if you don't know what Lean is...be glad you're that innocent, cuz clearly I'm not.  
> Thirdly.  
> Didn't mean for Susie's backstory to be quite so dark but...um...yeah.


	13. Chapter 13

Wanda and Rose waited for Susie at a table across from the shelves of library books, meeting to work on homework together. Wanda worried Susie wouldn't show despite saying she would. She and Cosmo ended up falling asleep in his room, so she didn't return to her own room until the free time in between her first and second class. Alewandro told her ahead of time about Susie's meltdown. She probably wouldn't have realized from Alewandro using his magic to clean the aftermath. She and Susie had the same classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, just at different times, so she hadn't seen Susie at all since she left.

"You think Susie's coming?" Rose genuinely asked, informed of the gist of Susie's situation.

"She said she was." Wanda replied, honestly not certain.

"I hope she's okay…" Rose expressed, opening her notebook. "I would have never guessed she went through what she did…"

"It's partially why she's usually more upbeat." Wanda admitted. "Dwelling on the negative is something she doesn't like to do."

"…hey guys."

Wanda and Rose looked in the direction of the quiet greeting, seeing Susie somberly take the seat across from them.

"Hey, hun." Rose watched Susie take out her materials from her backpack, eyeing her in concern. "How are you?"

"I'm here…" was her dreary reply.

Wanda could see how tough it was for Susie to pretend her heart wasn't hurting. "You know, it's okay to not be okay." she wanted to give her best friend the same friendly reminder Susie would give to her. "We understand."

"I know, I'm just…" Susie sighed, slouching her shoulders. Tired couldn't begin to explain how she felt; no amount of sleep could cure her amount of emotional exhaustion. "…so angry…"

"Have you spoken to your grandma since?" Rose inquired.

"No…I can't bring myself to." Susie admitted regretfully. "…she must think I'm angry with her…"

"Are you?" Wanda wondered. "I mean…to just bring your dad back in without asking for your input, knowing the history…I wouldn't be too happy, either."

"That's the thing…I'm not angry with her." Susie leaned over her notebook with folded arms. "I'm angry at him…for giving her more stress than she needs…"

Rose and Wanda looked to each other as if wondering if Susie was going to elaborate.

"I'm just worried…" Susie elaborated as if reading her friends' minds. "…I'm worried…because there was one time…he actually overdosed….I-I remember finding him seizing on the ground…and he didn't respond to me calling for him." She drew her arms closer around herself. "I was so young…I-I didn't know what to do. If it weren't for my grandma coming over to check on us…" her voice lowered to a soft whimper. "…I would have watched him die…"

"…I'm so sorry, Susie." Rose laid a consoling hand over the table narrow enough to reach, delicately placed on Susie's arm. "That sounds like hell…"

"My grandma has enough issues of her own…" Susie muttered. "…dealing with him shouldn't be one of them…"

"If he's clean then that shouldn't happen." Wanda assured, hoping to shed some light in the situation. "Plus, do you really think your grandmother would have accepted him back if he wasn't trying to live the straight and narrow?"

"Probably not…"

"Do you think you'll ever forgive him?"

Raising her eyes to her best friends' worried stares, Susie wished she had a better answer other than "…I don't know."

* * *

Entering the hustle and bustle that is Fairy World Diner, a man and woman floated over to one of the few unoccupied booths, holding hands in matrimony.

Cantaloupe-orange kink in a large afro, his hair was the same color in his eyes and same color goatee seemingly glow against his caramel skin. His muscles accented the slim fit of his jade T-shirt, tucked into navy dress slacks, and his black leather belt matched the black loafers on his feet.

Covered in umber-brown skin, smooth as dark chocolate, she sported her marigold and white long-sleeve jumpsuit, vertical stripes alluding to a slim-thick figure. She wore her hair in black goddess locs extending down pass the small of her back, silver beads accented throughout various stands, matching her silver wedge heels. A small emerald stone hung on a silver chain around her neck, somehow bringing out the true tangerine of her eyes.

Almost as soon as they were seated, a green-haired fairy flew over to take their orders.

"Hey, I'm Cosmo; I'll be your server for today." he handed them their individual menus. "What would you like to drink?"

"Actually," the male began, a rich baritone in his voice. "we already know what food we want as well."

"Cool." Cosmo casually took out his pencil and notepad. "What can I get you?"

The male fairy made a gentlemanly gesture towards the woman in front of him. "Ladies first."

"You're so cute." The female smiled, holding her menu to give back. "I'll just have the chicken parmigiana and a chocolate milkshake."

"Wow, that's interesting." Cosmo commented on the odd combination as he wrote down her order.

"My wife loves her chocolate." The male stated light-heartedly. "Gotta have it some way, shape, or form."

Cosmo turned to the male fairy for his order. "And you, sir?"

"Lemme get a vanilla shake with a cheeseburger and fries." He responded. "No tomatoes or onions, please. Can't stand neither one of 'em."

"Wow, my best friend Thornton's the same way."

The married couple turned to stare at each other, communicating with their expressions. Cosmo wrote down the male fairy's order and looked up from his notepad, noticing the sudden silence between them. "…anything else?"

"Question." The female fairy turned to Cosmo with a quizzical expression. "You know a Thornton?"

"Yeah." Cosmo replied. "We met here at the Diner; he preps all the food and stuff in the back."

"And…this might sound like a weird question to ask but…" she paused. "…is his last name Garner?"

"Uh…yeah?" Cosmo slowly said. "Why, you know him?"

"Uh…indirectly." The male clarified, trying to avoid suspicion.

Cosmo offered to take their menus. "Your food should be ready soon, and I'll get those shakes for you."

The married couple thanked Cosmo as he left to put in their orders, and once out of earshot, the female turned to her husband in eager curiosity. "Ahmaud…you think we finally found him?!"

"I don't know too many Thornton Garners, Breonna." Ahmaud responded, his eyes in the direction of where Cosmo went before turning to his wife. "Besides, judging by how young that waiter was, he'd be around his age by now."

"What do we do now?!" Breonna eagerly asked.

"The waiter didn't describe what he looked like." Ahmaud theorized. "But if we getta chance to see 'em, then we can go from there."

* * *

With his converse dangling just above the ground, Spike texted on his phone as he waited for his girlfriend on the same bench as the location of their first kiss. He asked her to meet him there so he can tell her the surprise he didn't think would come so soon into their relationship.

After texting a reply to Susie, reminding her that he's there for her if she needs him, his peripherals caught site of the marmalade puffs he'd grown to love. He saw her loom to him with a pleasant smile on her face, and he stood up to greet her by drawing her near by the hand and brushing her lips in a simple kiss.

"How was the homework session?" Spike inquired as Rose held her fingers together, her arms circled around his torso.

"Good." Rose let his arms hug around her waist. "You get much studying done?"

"Yeah…though," Spike leaned in closer to kiss her once more. "I'd much rather study you."

For every time Spike made that comment, she'd be rich. "So what's this surprise of yours?"

Pretending to clear his throat, he pulled away slightly to take Rose by her hands, brushing them gently with his thumbs. She tried to read his expressions to gage what he could be thinking, but all she could read was his sneaky little grin which told her absolutely nothing. "What're your plans later?"

She smiled out of curiosity. "…whatever your plans are?"

"…wanna go meet my dad?"

"…you're joking."

"Not this time." This didn't dissipate Rose's skepticism, not until he spoke his next sentence. "He's been asking me to come over for dinner about a while now and, I figured, he can also get a chance to meet you."

"…oh wow." Rose knew that was one of the universal signs of their relationship getting pretty serious. "…does he want to meet me?"

"He only asks about you like, every other day." Spike smiled. "Considering you're…well…the first."

_…and hopefully the last._ "Well, if he wants to meet me," Rose pulled him in to fold her arms around his neck, allowing his hands to rest on her hips, before her lips curled in acceptance. "then I wanna meet the fairy who raised such a great man."

Her compliment led to yet another kiss from Spike. "He wants us to be there around six."

"It's 4:30 now." Rose checked her watch. "I think we can spare a few minutes before we should leave."

He tiled his head forward to where the tip of their foreheads met. "What ever shall we do in those few minutes?"

Gazing into his gentle blue eyes, it was as their surroundings faded away. "…I'm sure we could think of something."

"Something…" He tilted his head, the distance between their lips closing in. "…like this?"

No complaints there.

Her eyes closed to feel the magic of his lips pressed to hers. When it came to kissing, he was still a bit shy, but after the third or fourth kiss, his hesitation always melted away to give him the chance to really express his love for her. With every kiss, she wanted more, and the more she wanted, the more he aimed to please.

**. . . . . .**

When Rose's car turned into the streets of the neighborhood he grew up in, Spike spotted his dad's sports car in his driveway, making it all the more real. His father was about to meet his girlfriend for the first time ever. Never was he nervous, not when he asked her, not when she said yes, not when they got in her car, not even the entire hour drive to Glitterstone. Only in the moment his childhood home and his father's car came into view that nerves jolted an electric shock through his veins.

Rose parked her car behind what she thought to be Spike's father's car, seeing as how another unknown vehicle occupied the right side of the driveway. Killing the engine and removing her keys from the ignition, she veered to her boyfriend in the passenger seat, scratching the side of his head. She quickly picked up on that nervous habit of his, so when she leaned over to palm his cheek, she decided to give him a couple of sweet kisses as a means to soothe. "Don't worry." Rose smiled tenderly, removing her palm. "It'll be okay."

Spike met her smile with a nervous side one. "I should be telling you that."

Exiting the car, Spike tried to figure out why he was so nervous all of the sudden. He didn't think his father would disapprove of Rose; from what he's described to him, he liked her already. Was it because he worried about Rose feeling like she couldn't be herself? Not that that's ever stopped her before…much. Honestly, all she'd have to do was be her adorably sweet self, and she'd win anyone's hearts. Maybe it was because Rose was his first serious relationship and he didn't want anything to go awry. He didn't want to think anything could possibly go wrong, but you never know.

Rose held onto Spike's hand as he led her along the gravel to the front steps, arriving at the white marble arch of the front door. Expecting their company, Spike knew the door was unlocked, so he turned to Rose momentarily, taking a deep breath, and twisted the golden doorknob to enter inside.

Soon greeted by the smell of eggplant lasagna, Spike and Rose flew inside, the doorway halfway between the den and the U-shaped kitchen. Mr. Twinkle, a navy-blue lad with a high fade and pale-ivory skin, opened the stove to pull out the lasagna with his mitten, unaware of the newly arrived guests. A black apron hung over his white long-sleeve dress shirt and black tie, accompanied with black slacks and black loafers, his normal everyday attire. Carefully, he set the lasagna on top of the stove and turned off the oven, lining it along with the other finished dishes of macaroni and broccoli casserole. Spike grinned softly at the sight; his father hated to cook, so the fact that he probably made all three dishes by himself made this dinner much more of a special occasion.

Taking off his mitten, Mr. Twinkle placed it on the mint green countertop next to the kitchen sink, and he looked up to see two fairies holding hands by the front door, welcoming them with a friendly smile. "Why hello, there!"

"Hey, pops." Spike released Rose's hand to give his father their classic father-son handshake, tapping the back of their right hands together twice before clasping their hand in a single shake.

Mr. Twinkle noticed the girl with a pool of teal eyes. "You must be Rose!"

"That I must be." Rose smiled, extending her hand. "It's wonderful to meet you, sir."

"Ah, the pleasure's all mine." Mr. Twinkle returned the gesture with a few shakes. "I've only heard but so much about you!"

"That I've heard." Rose gave her boyfriend a sly smile. "I've heard a lot about you, too."

"All good things, I hope." Mr. Twinkle looked over to his son who returned with a light-hearted shrug.

"Well, he hasn't said anything _bad_ , per say." Rose replied half-jokingly.

"I'll take it." Mr. Twinkle flew over to the white wooden cabinets to gather plates. "Sorry about not telling you I was inviting someone sooner. It was originally gonna be just the three of us but, something came up last minute."

"It's cool." Spike coolly responded. "As long as it's not some random off the street."

"Um…" Mr. Twinkle paused hesitantly, setting down the stack of plates before closing the cabinet. "…not quite."

"…Spike?"

The trio turned to the direction of the soft spoken voice, feminine and meek in nature. A petite fairy with curly teal shoulder-length hair stood in the frame of the bedroom hallway, her puffy bangs hanging just above her matching bashful eyes. She hid her hands behind her white V-neck sweater, a baby-blue T-shirt underneath, and her blue jeans frayed at the hems from overwear, covering most of her purple chucks. Rose took one look at her and thought she seemed pretty nice, but when she turned to Spike, the color drained from his already pale face appeared to have seen some kind of ghost.

Spike could only stare stunned at the woman before him, and barely above a whisper, he spoke to her. "…..mom?"

* * *

1:59am, Thornton and Cosmo finished wrapping up their shifts, and by 2:00am on the dot, both had clocked out, both physically and mentally. Business wasn't as booming as other days have been, yet meeting the demands of hungry, paying customers still took its toll.

"I'm beat…" Cosmo yawned, exiting the Diner behind Thornton.

"You and me both, brotha." Thornton floated across the parking lot to his motorcycle with Cosmo alongside. "My head has an appointment with my pillow, big time."

Slightly confused, Cosmo looked to Thornton quizzically. "How did your head make an appointment with your pillow?"

"It's just an expression, Coz." Thornton gave Cosmo's shoulder a few friendly pats. "Kinda like, 'I'm beat.'"

Taking out his keys, Thornton gives Cosmo his extra helmet, and when he reached for his own, a feeling of being watched came over him.

As Cosmo shoved his head into his helmet and fiddled with the straps to secure it, Thornton's eyes scanned the parking lot lit by the many street posts surrounding the rows of parking. Not many vehicles besides the night shift employees and a few customers occupied the lot, except for one lone black SUV sitting just a few spaces away from one of the streetlamps, almost invisible against the surrounding darkness if it weren't for the sheen of the gloss paintjob. Inside of the vehicle appeared dark with no light source, indicating the car was off, but he could have sworn he made out two shadowy figures sitting inside. Seeing as how the vehicle wasn't but maybe four parking spaces away from him, he tried to decipher whether there were four eyes staring directly at him.

"Hey, Thorn." Cosmo spoke through his helmet as he shook Thornton's shoulder to get his attention, unaware of what could have gotten Thornton's full concentration. "You sure you're good to drive? Look a little spacey."

"Spacey? Me? Nah." Thornton played it off, putting on his own helmet as he hopped onto his seat. "Besides, you have zero clue howta drive this thing."

Revving up his motor, Thornton waited for Cosmo to hold on so he wouldn't fall, and with a sharp turn of the steering, he pressed the gas to turn out of the parking space and drove to the exit, looking both ways before pulling out onto the main roads.

The two occupants in the black vehicle watched Thornton speed see passed their windshield with their front bumper facing the main road, watching until the motorcycle was no longer within their sight. Turning to his wife, held one hand on the steering wheel, caressing his wife's hand with the other. "Yeah, that's definitely him…that's the Thornton Garner we've been searchin' for."

"I can't believe it…" Breonna sighed in relief, feeling the void which left a gaping hole in her heart begin to fill with more answers than questions. She looked to Ahmaud with a satisfied smile, eyes glossing with tears of joy. "…we finally found our baby…"

**. . . . . .**

Wiping sleep deprivation from her indigo eyes, Susie turned the page to her Da Rules 2 textbook, careful so that her desk lamp shined away from Wanda as she slept. If it weren't for her mind racing with endless rambles and confusion, she'd be right along with her catching her own Zzs. Yet here she was, awake at two in the morning, trying to distract her muddled mind by getting a head start for her first class in a few hours.

She hadn't felt like herself since the encounter with her long-lost father, thinking about it non-stop to the point of driving herself crazy. Fifteen years without him, fifteen years of teaching her heart not to care for him, fifteen years of teaching her spirit to live on without him, all for him to make an unexpected return during one of the most vulnerable, challenging times of her life. Learning to adult while the child within her navigated through new territory, a new life. A new life in which she did not expect any of her old life to resurface. His tears, his pleas for her forgiveness, only made it harder for her to want to let him in. Having trusted him with her innocence just for him to rip it to shreds and disserting it to sew itself together again, how could she trust him again?

Her phone was on mute not to disturb her roommate, though she had it facing where she would see any incoming calls or messages. She was previously texting Alewandro in a way for him to keep her company while she studied, but she hadn't heard from him in about thirty minutes, assuming he fell asleep. When a familiar number appeared on her caller ID, she found it odd that she'd get such a call at this hour. Maybe Grandma Cocoa felt guilty about the situation, calling to check on her granddaughter. Since beginning her college career, either she called her grandmother or her grandmother called her; they never went more than 24 hours without some type of contact. Since the interaction, Susie has made no effort to contact her grandmother. Her heart weighed with shame…so wrapped in her own problems, she didn't think about how much the shock it must be for Grandma Cocoa to see her only son for the first time in ages…just for her granddaughter to reject him.

Knowing to keep her voice lowered, Susie answered the call, though the voice on the other end was not who she was ready to speak to.

"…hey…h-hey Susie?"

She sat speechless with no words, mostly nice words, to say.

"…y-you there?"

She had to dig for her voice again. "I'm hanging up-"

"Please!" She jumped slightly from the desperate urgency in his tone. "...please…don't hang up."

Susie found not one reason why she shouldn't.

"…um…momma's sleepin' and…I-I used her phone to call you…" The hurt in his tone seep through the levelness he tried to maintain. "…I-I figured if you were awake, you'd answer that way…and…" she heard him pause, choosing his words carefully. "….I-I've been thinkin'…over and over…whether I was doin' you any good by comin' back so suddenly…"

If only she knew the answer to that herself. "Are you serious?" she questioned, masking her trembling nerves. "…a-about quitting the drugs?"

"…I spent the last three months in rehab." Bernard confirmed. "…the withdrawal…..I was so freakin' sick…felt like I was gonna die just from that…but…little did I know…that was just the easy part."

Closing her textbook, Susie turned off her lamp and hovered to go to her bed, sitting just before the line between where the moonlight glistening through her blinds ended and where the shadow began on her comforter.

"…I'm not gonna lie…" Bernard continued, keeping himself together. "…I…still think about it sometimes…still wonder where I can get it…"

Her chest tightened at that last phrase.

"…b-but I'm not givin' in…I'm not givin' up…" he made sure to speak in a manner that he was serious. "…I'm gonna get a job…I'm gonna learn to support myself…I'm gonna be the man I should have been all these years…" she heard him exhale heavily. "…I…I just wanna see you…my little Susie-Lue…I-I wanna see you smile."

"How can you say that?" Susie whispered harshly, feeling her tears return. "You wanted drugs more than you wanted me!"

"I know and I'm so sorry for puttin' you through that…" he couldn't hide the remorse from his voice any longer. "…when…when yo' momma died I…I felt as if I lost my whole world…" the few whimpers she did hear painted the image of a broken man, picturing the tears probably falling from his eyes. "…it…it's no excuse…b-but it messed me up…and the drugs they…they became my escape…"

"…w-why couldn't I be your world?" Her own tears trickled from her eyes which she made no effort to wipe them away. "…why couldn't I be your escape?" She muffled a sob threatening to escape; she didn't want Wanda to see her crying again.

"…I'm sorry, baby girl…" he whispered into the phone, taking deep breaths to control his own emotions. "…I-I wish I could take all of it back…but…I'm here now…I wanna fix what's broken…"

"…I don't know…" Susie sniffed, blinking her tears from blurring her vision. "…I don't trust you…"

"…then let me show you." Bernard humbly implored. "Please…give me the chance to earn your trust…"

"I don't wanna trust you." Susie stated, swallowing the frog in her throat. "…I'm scared…"

"I'll show you that you don't hafta be…" Bernard assured. "…just give me a chance."

Was a chance truly what he deserved? After everything he's ever done…how would she benefit from trusting him again? She believed in being innocent until proven guilty, but he was a multiple offender; he repeated the same crimes on multiple occasions, so her verdict couldn't let him off the hook so easily. All Susie had to go on was how he treated her in the past versus how he says he wants to treat her going forward.

As far as she was concerned, he was guilty until proven innocent.


	14. Chapter 14

Returning from her last class of the week, Blonda used her wand to open the front entrance to Libra Hall. The triplets went home for the weekend after their last classes, and Blonda looked forward to not hearing their gripes and complaints about her continued relationship with Professor Cardician. Even if she did end the relationship, would it mend the strain between her best friends?

Things went downhill when they started having such a big issue with her dating Professor Cardician. Ever since her argument with Ruby, she felt distant from them, almost like they were purposely singling her out. She and Ruby were still roommates, but their interactions reduced to simple 'hi' and 'byes' with the occasional small talk, and as far as Amethyst and Sapphire, it was the same way with them.

Cupid had a conversation with the triplets to get their side, asking why they treated Blonda like an outcast, and from what the triplets told him, all they wanted was for her to be happy, but they wanted her to be happy making better decisions than the ones she made and continued to make. Blonda didn't understand how they wanted her happiness when they rejected her happiness; they rejected Professor Cardician as her lover, they didn't want learn the man she knew him to be. All they thought of him was nothing but an older man solely after younger coo.

This situation sometimes made her want to go back to before college; the days where they didn't judge her for any decisions she made or for anything she did. Why would they start having problems with how she lived her life? She could understand being concerned, but being angry and upset with her wasn't going to motivate any change in behavior. They knew this, they've known Blonda since Spellementary! Why would they switch up now?!

Entering to students hanging out in the lounge area, Blonda almost passed the front desk when she heard her name being called. She saw the RA motion for her to come over, unsure whether she would get a lecture about playing her music too loud that morning. That theory soon ruled itself out when the RA pulled out a large bouquet of sunflowers from behind the desk, holding them out once Blonda was within reach.

"These came for you, Miss Fairywinkle." The RA politely informed, giving them to Blonda. "A secret admirer?"

Blonda searched for some kind of card, finding one from underneath one of the flower stems. "No name on the card?"

"Nope." The RA shook her head. "Not unless you know who'd sent them."

"Hmm." Blonda could think of a certain someone. "Thanks, anyway."

She floated passed the 24-inch flat screen mounted to the corner of the lounge and turned the corner down the corridor to her room. Along the way, she pulled the card from the stem and opened to read it, finding the text written in black ink:

_ Hey baby, _

_ I remembered how your mom used to call you sunflower (I find it very fitting for you) so I got you these sunflowers to show how much you mean to me, though they could never fully represent my love for you. _

She smiled, loving how thoughtful he was, as she continued reading.

_I know things have been stressful with your friends, so these flowers are also a bit of an invitation for you to come over tonight. Well, not really an invitation, more like a 'come over so I can_ really _show how much you mean to me'_ _.;)_

His winky face at the end made her giggle, fully aware what he meant.

_ Text me when you get these, and I promise, when you come over, I'll love you like you've never been loved before. _

_ Love, _

_ Pantaleo Cardician _

_ PS: this isn't too much of an issue for you, but wear somethin' smexy for daddy. I say that, but you won't have it on for long around me. _

A cheeky smile curled her lips.

* * *

Holding hands as they flew along the way to the student library, Cosmo and Wanda saw other groups of students taking their own stroll, engaged in social chatter. A few other students tossed a frisbee across the yard, flying over Cosmo and Wanda's head as the passed, and a few couples laid out on blankets in the grass, enjoying the loving company of their significant other. Wanda wanted to help Cosmo study for their quiz the following Monday in their Fairy World History class before Cosmo had to work, though Cosmo would have much rather taken a nap. Wanda wanted to at least get a head start; if they didn't, then they'd spend Cosmo's day off cramming, and Cosmo could never retain information that way.

As they neared the steps leading to the large double doors of the library's entrance, Wanda took a moment to admire the large open field in front of the library, a few benches mounted in the lush purple grass underneath large willow trees. The way the partly cloudy skies curtained behind the landscape made for such a scenic view. Sometimes Cosmo could be oblivious to simple beauties such as this, but Wanda always appreciated the natural beauty of Fairy World.

Sitting on one of the benches under the willow tree, Juandissimo leaned against the wooden backrest, gazing vacantly towards the willows drooping above. Wanda could see him sitting alone, unable to gage what he could be thinking from his blank stare. It wasn't until he saw him reach into his backpack for the similar white bottle from just a few days ago did her curiosity long to intervene.

"Hey, honey." Wanda stopped in her flight, leading Cosmo to do the same as he turned to her. "Um, I forgot something in my room. We kind of need it to study."

"Oh, okay." Cosmo spoke uncertainly; he thought all they needed were their binders and their textbooks. "I can come with you."

"No, that's fine." Wanda excused. "I won't be long. See if you can find a private study room open. They come few and far between."

"Uh…okay." Cosmo let go of her hand hesitantly. "I'll see what I can find and I'll text you where I am if I find one."

He left to join other random students floating up the garnet steps of the library, and Wanda made sure he didn't turn around and flew inside before heading over to Juandissimo. Lying to Cosmo made her feel like she was somewhat unfaithful, but she knew if she told the truth, he'd have questions, and those were questions she had little patience to answer.

Twisting the cap open, Juandissimo held it in his hands while a berry-like scent entered his nose. He felt like absolute garbage and craved for an escape from it all. Lifting the bottle, the thick liquid didn't even touch his lips before he heard the voice of reason haunting him a lot lately.

"Don't you think it's a little foolish drinking Spell while others are around?"

He noticed her swirly pink hair out the side of his eye, lowering the bottle to look with his nonchalant gaze. Did she _not_ have other business to mind? "…well, no one else seems to be as bothered as you."

"I'd still like an answer to my question." Wanda firmly stated, hovering in front of him. "Unless you don't remember."

"I remember some." Juandissimo coolly shrugged, unbothered by her stern stance. "…like asking why you give a damn."

She didn't care for his attitude. It's gonna take a lot more to scare her off. "Then you remember me asking why you drink Spell."

"That is none of your concern." He rolled his eyes as he set the bottle to his mouth, only for Wanda to snatch the bottle from his hand before he tasted a drop.

"That doesn't answer my question."

Wow, she had some nerve. "You do realize I can just poof another one…"

"Answer the question."

"Why should I?"

And why must he try her patience? "…Juandissimo-"

"Why can you not just leave me alone?"

"I still care about you, okay?!"

Wanda didn't want to show how many buttons he pushed, and she didn't mean to raise her voice, yet Juandissimo had a way of getting under her skin. Would she even be able to help him? Not at all. Did she still want to try? Yeah…she couldn't help it. The path he was going was not a path she'd ever want for him, dating or not.

Far within the hollow of his heart, the love for her he thought for sure disappeared, flinched ever so slightly from the sudden emotion in her response. How, after all this time, did she still care? He knew it was just in her nature, just something she does, which is why he always believed she'd make an excellent godparent one day. Still, he didn't deserve her compassion…or anyone's compassion.

Leaning his head back against the backrest, he shoved his hands in his leather jacket pockets, staring through the willow leaves. "…I do not see why you care…" his tone grew bleak, a vague expression in his lifeless eyes. "…I could drop dead and it would not matter…"

Wanda stared at him, not expecting something so dark to ever utter from his lips. "…Juandissimo don't make jokes like that. That's not funny."

"…do you see me laughing?"

No, and that was part of the problem. She hadn't seen or heard him laugh, seen him crack a smile, in what felt like ages. She never told Alewandro about any of this, mostly because she knew Alewandro had passed the point of caring and no longer worried about anything Juandissimo did. She wished that wasn't the case though. Underneath Juandissimo's walls, a deep-rooted pain boiled and brewed. A pain he so desperately wanted to drown with poison, altering his mind to near points of no return. Juandissimo was in trouble, and him pushing people away wasn't making him better…

With Wanda's attention so tangled in Juandissimo's web, she failed to realize her boyfriend watching the whole encounter from the steps of the library…

**. . . . . .**

_…That Fairywinkle's gonna_ dump _you when she realizes what a stupid…_ PATHETIC _excuse of a being you are!_

That was all Cosmo could focus on.

Huddled within the noise-canceling padded walls of one of the enclosed private study rooms of the library, Cosmo and Wanda continued their studies for their Fairy World History test. Wanda jotted some notes on key topics they should probably focus on, and Cosmo, in no mood to study anything he'd barely understand anyway, folded his arms over his opened textbook as he fixed his cynical gaze upon his girlfriend.

If he had no reason to doubt her love for him before, the sight of his girlfriend with her ex-boyfriend certainly planted that seed. It's one thing for her to talk to her ex, it's another for her to do it behind his back and lie in his face about it, carrying on as if nothing happened. Why would she feel the need to lie? Did she have secret intentions? She mentioned before how she missed the Cosmo she fell in love with…did she not love him anymore?

"Alright." Wanda finished jotting down her notes, setting her bookmark inside the crease of her textbook. "I think I've outlined everything we need to start going over the basics-"

"Why were you talking to Juandissimo?"

She shot her eyes to him, caught off guard. "…what are you talking about?"

Was she really gonna play dumb? He may not be as intelligent as most, but Cosmo wasn't always such a fool. "Just a few minutes ago…" his tone remained quite mono, something Wanda wasn't sure was a good or bad thing. "You said you left something in your room and you were gonna go back to get it."

Wanda licked her lips, thinking Cosmo would never believe her if she told the truth. He must have turned around when she assumed he had already entered the library; how else would he had known about her encounter with Juandissimo? She didn't have anything to hide that would greatly jeopardize their relationship, she'd never cheat on Cosmo, especially not with her ex.

So why did his skeptical stare make her feel as if she'd been caught red handed? "…I was just saying 'hi.'"

His expression never changed. From what he saw, it looked like more than just 'saying hi.' "Have you talked to him before?"

"…yes." She shortly admitted. "A couple times."

"Why?"

"Cosmo, why are you asking all these questions?!"

She should really be asking the ghost of his mother haunting his thoughts. _Was it not her that moved on with that boy so soon after you two broke up?!_ "…Do you wanna go back to him?"

"No!" her reply came out more defensive than she planned. "Why would you even ask that?"

_You_ really _think that Fairywinkle would still break up with that other boy if you succeeded?_ "Just checking."

"…Cosmo, I love you." She placed a loving hand over one of his which lowered his eyes briefly as if to make sense of it. "I would never do that to you." She held his stare, serious in her brow. "You know that."

_She's gonna realize what a_ waste _of_ LIFE _you are, and you'll be_ left _with_ NOTHING _!_

Letting out a groan, he jerked his hand away and slammed his textbook shut. "Forget it."

She watched him spring from his seat, flying towards the door. "…Where are you going?!"

Not bothering to look over his shoulder, Cosmo grabbed the door handle and muttered an excuse for his abrupt departure. "To the bathroom."

As he forced the door closed from behind, Wanda turned around in her chair as her mouth fell open, unsure of how else to react to a situation she really hoped to avoid.

* * *

Mr. Twinkle, sitting on his tan leather couch, checked his watch for the current time, while Karen, Spike's estranged mother, bounced her knee nervously with her arms in her lap, seated beside him. After Tuesday's surprise reunion between Spike and Karen, to say the dinner was awkward would be an understatement. Spike made no effort to talk to her, Karen didn't know what to say, and Rose mostly sparked conversation with Mr. Twinkle to keep the awkwardness from being more awkward than it already awkwardly was. Mr. Twinkle requested for Spike to come back so they may have a conversation, a conversation with just the three of them, and while Spike whole-heartedly wanted to refuse, his father pretty much gave no choice.

7:00pm was supposed to be Spike's time of arrival. 7:20pm, and no sign of him. Mr. Twinkle texted him to which he received no reply, and while he understood his son's apprehension, his son knew he hated when people were late with no courtesy to notify anyone. Just when he was about to lose patience and call, the turning of the bolt lock with an outside key eased his nerves in that Spike actually showed, and Karen, hoping to have a civil conversation, felt more anxious than before.

When Spike opened the door and let himself inside, both Mr. Twinkle and Karen rose from their seats as Spike flew into the den, facing to greet him. The disconnect in his blue eyes made it clear he didn't care to be there, but at least he had enough decency to come.

"Hey, son." Mr. Twinkle greeted, Spike's hands tucked deep in his pockets. "Come by yourself?"

"I used my wand." Spike casually responded, flying passed him and Karen to one of the matching arm chairs facing the couch, Karen's face falling in disappointment.

"Well, I'm glad ya got here when you could." Mr. Twinkle and Karen returned to their seats on the couch, just a hint of sarcasm in his tone. Spike simply rolled his eyes and scoffed.

He had no intentions of hiding the fact that he wanted nothing to do with the woman sitting next to his father. He had no intentions on pretending to care about whatever she had to say, or what she thought she should say. The only reason he agreed to 'talk' was out of obligation. He'd much rather swim in a pool of molten lava bubbling in a volcano and burning the skin off his bones.

"All I ask is that you listen to what your mother has to say before you respond." Mr. Twinkle requested. "Can you do that?"

"Yeah, sure." Spike shrugged, slouching in his chair. "Whatever."

Karen observed her son, looking away from her as if she were a shadow. She felt his reluctance towards her, felt his complete disconnect. Not that it wasn't expected…nor was it not warranted. "…Spike." She began, meek in her speech. "…I'm so sorry."

Removing his hands from his pockets, he switched to crossing his arms over his chest, still no effort to make eye contact.

"…I should have never blamed my postpartum on you." Karen sincerely expressed. "I struggled with severe depression even before I became pregnant with you…sometimes I still do…and it's not anyone's fault."

He may have acted like he wasn't listening, but Mr. Twinkle knew his son heard his mother's every word.

"I've already apologized countless times to your father…" she glanced to Mr. Twinkle briefly. "…I'm so sorry for walking out on both of you twelve years ago. I'm sorry for abandoning you both…" she fiddled with her fingers, her leg anxiously bouncing again. "…I hated settling for you two…I didn't want a family…I couldn't handle it…"

Spike veered his eyes to her, cold in his glare.

"…I lived life on the streets…got myself into night work for money…and to forget that I used to be married with a son…" she lowered her eyes shamefully. "Got involved with a string of bad men…lost my dignity…lost everything…I was spiraling and the vortex only grew deeper and deeper…."

Mr. Twinkle reached a comforting hand to rub her back, having heard her similar speech.

"…over the last couple of years…I've been getting help." Karen lifted her remorseful eyes to her son. "Got into counseling…managed to get a job…got my own place…got out of life on the streets…and that's why…I'm here now."

The longer she spoke, the more he questioned the validity of her words. His situation with his mother sounded oddly parallel to Susie and her father…

"…I'm here to start over." She continued. "…I know I can't make up for lost time…but I want to…well…just…" finding the right words wasn't easy for her. "…turn a new chapter…to be a family. I hope you can accept this as my plea for forgiveness…"

Mr. Twinkle, realizing Karen was finished, looked to his son, trying to read his mind. "Spike? Anything you wanna say?"

His glare switched to his father before turning back to Karen, straightening his posture in his seat. "You treated me like a burden just for existing. You didn't care about me, you didn't give a crap about me!"

"I know and I apologize from the bottom of my heart." Karen held her hands over her chest. "But I want to make things right."

"Yeah?" Spike cocked a brow. "Why is that? Why now?"

With a heavy sigh, Mr. Twinkle took Karen's hand into his own, resulting in a skeptical expression from his son. "I didn't tell you this before but…" he smiled faintly to Karen of whom returned a bashful grin. "…your mother and I have started dating again a month ago."

"The fu…how the…" Spike's tongue twisted in shock.

From what he remembered, she pushed him away when he'd try to hug her, she'd reject his kisses with a slap in his face, she always banished him to the couch because she never wanted to share a bed, and she'd never be happy to see him whenever he came home. She treated his father, much like her own son, like an obligation that deserved just a fraction of her commitment. His father would blame himself, ask her to just tell him what he keeps doing wrong, yet she'd have no real answer other than 'it's not you, it's me.' He wanted to make it work, and she put in little to no effort until she eventually left out of her own selfishness.

His father was never quite the same afterwards. In some instances, he had grown cold, acting solely as a provider and protector, nothing more, nothing less. Consequently, Spike lacked a real connection with his father until he became an adult who could fend for himself. For him to take her back meant everything she ever did to them both didn't matter.

Spike sprung from his chair, heating up with ever growing irritation. "Why the _hell_ would you do something so STUPID?!"

"You might wanna watch that tone of yours."

"And _you_ might wanna wake the hell up!" Spike didn't care how disrespectful he was anymore. They disrespected him by thinking it was okay to just get back together as if _nothing_ happened! "You and I were _just_ fine without that pathetic, lowlife wench, so why the _hell_ would you want that dumb trash back?!"

"Spike, that is _quite_ enough!" Mr. Twinkle was not about to let Spike disrespect his own mother, rising from his seat as Karen felt tears swelling in her eyes.

"Wow." Spike creased his brow. "…that dirt puss of hers can't be _that_ great-"

"Spike, I will _NOT_ tolerate this disrespect!" Mr. Twinkle not only yelled at his son, he got close to his son's face, turning red with frustration. Rarely did Mr. Twinkle lose his cool, and rarely did he lose his cool towards Spike. His finger pointed to Karen, her arms squeezing herself tight. " _THAT_ is your _MOTHER_! You do _NOT_ talk about her like that!"

Spike, however, held his scowl, glaring into a navy-blue glower.

His so called 'mother' was so emotionally checked out. A distant, emotionless block of ice refusing to love and nurture him. If he was sad or angry, she shamed him, and if he ever had the audacity to smile and laugh, she placed him at fault him because she herself couldn't be happy, thus no one had a right to be happy. Instead of holding him in her arms, she ignored his requests for a hug and sometimes physically pushed him away. Instead of seeing the love in her eyes and a lovely smile, he'd see her go from zero to a hundred with no in between; he saw either a blank stare with a fixed frown, or rage and disdain in her scowl. Instead of hearing the three sacred words of "I love you," he remembered at the age of five, the worst thing she can ever said to him…

"Either you'll kill me, or I'll kill you."

Either dealing with him would drive her to suicide, or she would end her suffering by taking him out of the world he never asked to be brought in.

Anyone that says _any_ thing like that to their own child, their own flesh and blood, _definitely_ didn't deserve an _ounce_ of his mercy…

With a clenched fist, he reached in his back pocket for his wand, shifting his glower to Karen with no ounce of sympathy for her tears. "…that…will _never_ be my mother."

Spike held his wand to disappear in a cloud a blue before his father could stop him, and as his magic cloud denigrated into thin air, she could no longer fight her emotions as they came pouring in her sobs.

**. . . . . .**

Materializing back in his dorm, Spike lost control. The fires of his fury whirled within and his chest constricted to hitch breaths. His face burned with anger, his knuckles numbing white in tight clenched fists. Reverting to old ways, he rushed over to his bed and buried his face into his pillow, a chilling screech growling from deep in his throat, screeching multiple times in a row until veins stained his face red.

Self-soothing came in the form of belligerence. In his younger days, teachers often sent him to detention or had him suspended due to his violent outbursts. Aggression and hostility became the only way he could react to anything outside of his control, and if he could hurt others or cause harm on someone, it empowered him, made the sting in his heart burn less. Hollowness in his soul filled with bubbling rage, that of which bemused his father at times. Mr. Twinkle wouldn't have proper conversations with him, however. His 'acting out' received more punishment, either a grounding or a reprimanding lecture.

Screaming into his pillow had been his release since childhood, finding no other outlet to tame the beast of his frustrations. He only resulted to this method if he dove too deep and could no longer able to sustain his emotions in a clear state of mind, and though it took a lot of triggering for Spike to reach such a boiling point, whenever he did, there wasn't much to stop him.

Amidst his screams came the loud ring of his phone, vibrating in his other back pocket. At first, he thought it was his dad calling to yell at him more, so he ignored the call. Instead, he yanked his pillow and tossed it across the floor, bundling his duvet in his arms and thrashing it around in a whirlwind. His phone vibrating again, and just as he snatched his phone to chuck it against the wall, he saw Rose in his caller ID, and almost instantly, a bit of his fury subdued. His quickened breaths restricted against his chest, remembering that he didn't tell Rose where he was going or even that he had left to meet his parents.

Geez, her timing couldn't have been more off.

He didn't want to ignore her, but he was afraid he'd take his frustrations out on her. That was the last thing he ever wanted to do. This, of course, did not stop her from calling again, and he knew she'd just keep calling until he eventually answered. Left with no other options, he answered after the fourth ring, holding the phone in his unsteady hand as he pressed speaker. He grabbed his forehead with his other hand and attempted to calm himself with deep, shaky breaths, something Rose immediately noticed.

"…Spike, are you okay?!"

The utter concern in her voice pained him; burdening her with his crap wasn't what he wanted. She's never seen him this upset and he made it his goal that she never would. She didn't deserve to deal with him like this…

"Spike?!" Feeling his surroundings spinning in his eyes, he lowered himself to the floor on his knees, setting the phone beneath him as he supported his upper body by pressing his hands firmly against the wood-like marble. "What's wrong?!"

He clamped his eyes shut, pressure ballooning against his skull, about to explode. He lowered his head and continued to level his breathing despite his chest burning for him to stop, inhaling through his nose and exhaling through his mouth as he willed himself not to pass out.

"Spike! Are you there?!"

He felt himself finally regaining his bearing, slowly opening his eyes as the vertigo depleted from his mind. Breathing heavily through his nose, he took his phone and dragged himself to lean against the side of his bed, pressed against the drawers beneath. He straightened his legs and laid an arm in his lap, slumping his shoulders with his head cocked back against his mattress.

"…Spike?!"

"…Rose?" the rawness in his throat called out hoarsely.

"Spike, you sound sick…" he sensed her worry; he wasn't sick at all that day. "Are you feeling okay?!"

His eyes closed to keep from burning. "…no."

"Is there anything I can do?"

Opening his eyes, he thought about her question, weighing the options of her doing anything for him verses not. He'd rather not have her deal with the state he was in…yet…in his state, he was tired of dealing with it alone. He didn't want to be alone. "…can…you come over?"

"Of course." Rose agreed; he could hear the sound of her keys gathering in her hand. "I'll be right over."

"…I'll…" he found the will to lift himself just enough to retrieve his wand from his back pocket. "…unlock the door…"

"Mkay."

Phone still in hand, he pressed to end the call, knowing it only took a second poof anywhere. He didn't bother to raise his wand as he magically unlocked his door, setting it beside him on the floor to stare towards his ceiling. Over the years he had to teach himself how to mellow out, not react so hostilely to every little thing. He hated his anger and he hated when he became angry. It's never _just_ anger, it's always amplified tenfold. Bouts of red rage and frustration often times drained every ounce of his energy.

A couple knocks on his door came before his door creaked open, and when Rose closed the door, she saw Spike on the floor, disheveled and drained. She started to wonder if he actually was sick just from the perspiration and how deathly pale he looked, but she looked around to see his bed bare of its sheets and pillow, finding them on the floor around him. Advancing slowly, Rose wondered whether this was sickness, or was it something bigger.

"…Hey." She carefully took a seat next to him, watching his vacant eyes continue to stare upwards. "…you wanna tell me what's wrong?"

Just the act of swallowing hurt, so no, he didn't want to talk…

He wanted nothing and no one else but her.

Turning his head, his eyes met hers, seeing concern etched all over her face. He then lowered himself to where his head rested in her lap, bending his knees, and he folded his arms against his stomach, curling into a ball. Seeing him in such an exhausted state, she laid a hand to stroke his bare arm, leaning down to plant a tender kiss on his temple.

He's never let anyone else into his space like this before. He dealt with his own pain alone as he usually had no choice but to. He learned to hide his troubles from his father at a young age, always hearing 'man up' or 'stop being a baby and get over it,' and since his mother dismissed him the first seven years of his life, if he had any problems, he'd find a way to deal with it first before burdening anyone else. Now, in a relationship, he found that dealing with his issues alone wasn't always possible. Rose never wanted him to keep anything from her just to spare her feelings.

So, she would encourage Spike to speak his mind, say what he was feeling, talk about whatever he wanted to talk about, and she was so patient with him when he wanted to withdraw, when he wanted to shut her out to not burden her. Moments like this were rare with Spike…for the first time in his life, he felt a weight lift from his shoulders. The burden of keeping his emotions to himself…he slowly realized it didn't have to continue to be this way. How Rose managed to drag this side of him out was beyond him. She just had that special type of magic that made him feel safe, made him feel that his heart didn't have to be guarded around her.

She would never mistreat his heart, and he vowed to himself to never mistreat hers.

* * *

Nothing but moonlight as the only source of light among the various shadows of the master bedroom, Blonda's head rocked back as her breaths hitched with every thrust, on all fours atop the red silk of his duvet, moans timed to the smacks of him pounding her from behind.

When Blonda first arrived in a trench coat, Professor Cardician was confused to why she'd be wearing it, until the moment she took off said trench coat, quickly realizing that trench coat was all she wore. A bold move indeed, a risk worth taking; all it took was one look for him to pull her to him, and she let him have his way with her.

All rational thought vanished, and both reverted to bodily instinct. Intercourse took up a large part of their time together; on the couch, on kitchen countertops, on the rug, experimenting with multiple positions. His hormones had rounds, and with every electrifying, intoxicating thrill of his skin against hers, she craved for more. They stumbled upon his bedroom where he wasted no time in foreplay. Both still aroused from the last round, he placed her on the bed and when he held her by her bare bottom and pressed it to his pelvis, she submitted to his control.

Five minutes in, and Professor Cardician's pelvis surged with pleasure levels rising. Bending down, he held her chin in his palm to keep her head back, leaning close to whisper sensually in her ear. "Are you mine?"

His thrusts made it difficult to breath normally let alone speak. Her moan managed to articulate a response. "…yes…"

"I wanna hear you say it…" Professor Cardician's movements grew faster, her body writhing, feeling weak in her limbs.

So drunk in euphoria, Blonda's breathing turned to moans elevating the quicker he pleased her. "…I'm yours, daddy…"

That was all it took for their sexual release to come to a screaming head.

He turned her chin to kiss her, slowing as he released himself, and after a last pump, he removed himself as Blonda lay sprawl beneath him, controlling her heavy breathing. Taking off the used condom, he went to the trashcan, tossing it away. He flew back to prop himself over her, their skin soft as silk together. "…wanna join me in the shower?" he asked tenderly.

Blonda curled her lips in a smirk. "…I don't think I can do another round after that."

"Not even just to shower together?" he teased, bending down for another kiss.

"Go." She playfully shoved him away. "I can wait."

"Suit yourself." He proudly grinned, pushing himself from on top of her with a wink. "Be right back, sunflower."

Lifting herself to watch him, she smiled as he flew into the master bathroom, not bothering to shut the door. As the lull of the shower began, she crawled on her stomach across the bed to the nightstand closest to her. She knew her phone died a while ago and forgot her charger, so she went to search for an extra. Drawing the drawer, something glistened in the moonlight, Blonda asking herself how a phone charger can glow in the dark. Reaching inside, she also asked herself how a phone charger could feel like round metal. Using her fingers to feel around, she noted the round metal had a hollow opening in the middle…almost like a ring.

She took out her hand to see a golden ring fit for a finger. Taking a closer look, she saw that the ring appeared to be a male wedding ring. Strange. Why would Professor Cardician have a wedding rin-

Eyes wide with horror, reality slapped her in the face, connecting the dots…

Had she been sleeping with a married man?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...and I oop


	15. Chapter 15

Still clothed in his work uniform, Cosmo buried his face in his hands, seated at his desk. He lifted his head to his roommate, envious of his slumber. He thought the rigorous labor of his job would tire him out enough to cease the self-doubt reeling in his head, yet here he was. Not sleeping. Unfortunately thinking. Entirely too much.

Cosmo took out his phone, reading 2:00am across his screen. Maybe some fresh air could help ease his nerves.

Grabbing the wand from his desk, Cosmo harbored magic to poof himself out the room. Tucking his hands in his pockets, Cosmo wandered aimlessly, watching purple tree leaves dancing in the late-night breeze. School regulations made it to where any parties of any kind took place mostly off campus, perfect for a quiet stroll.

Cosmo wanted Wanda however he could have her because, as he used to believe, he'd rather Wanda be in his life than not at all, and at the time, he settled for just a friendship. He tried so hard to shove his true feelings aside, because at the time, he could tell Wanda was content overall in dating Juandissimo. Losing her out of fear of his mother, he felt he never deserve Wanda's love again. Regardless of how hard he tried, he didn't want to share Wanda with anyone else, and as selfish as that felt to him, he couldn't keep pretending otherwise.

Seeing Wanda with her ex triggered his assumption that, maybe, just maybe, he stole her away from someone she was happy with. He didn't bother returning to their study room after he walked out. All he could do was poof to his room to try and sleep it off until he had to work. He couldn't bring himself to answer any of her texts or her calls. The fear of being abandoned just to run back into the arms of Juandissimo consumed him, and as much as he really didn't want to admit, he suspected she wasn't completely over Juandissimo like she's said to him before.

Turning the corner from Taurus Hall, he flew down the walkway leading to the amphitheater. At first glance, his eye didn't recognize the lone figure sprawled in the grass, almost assuming said figure was dead based on the lifeless state. He then scanned his surroundings in search of an imaginary murderer, aware that if such existed, he'd have little to defend himself. When he chose to then ignore his paranoia for a closer second look, he realized that the lone figure on the ground was someone he rivaled for Wanda's love…

Observing Juandissimo staring mindlessly into the silver moon above them, Cosmo froze in his stance, a few feet away. Originally believing that apologizing to Juandissimo for what transpired between them fixed the overwhelming tension, Alewandro did tell him about Juandissimo's shady comments towards both him and Wanda. So much for squashing beef. He would have never pegged Juandissimo to be petty. Then again, he didn't know Juandissimo that well, just like Juandissimo didn't know a thing about him enough to have any right of judging him…

He felt a little sorry for Muscles Magoo though as far as the heartbreak he went through. The few times he did notice Juandissimo around campus, he looked…empty. Lonely, even. Something Cosmo suffered when he could no longer claim Wanda, a regard he also held sympathy. On the flipside, could it be that Juandissimo be trying to weasel his way back into her life? If Wanda truly didn't love Juandissimo anymore, and they've spoken more than once, then that could also mean Juandissimo was the initiator. Was he trying to win her back so she can dump her pathetic boy toy for a real man?

Deciding to figure out for himself, Cosmo advanced toward Juandissimo, harboring a warning.

There was no life behind Juandissimo's blue-violet orbs. He had lost his sense of being. His spirit had grown cold, his hole being felt numb. Happiness felt so far away as if to avoid him. The Spell he consumed just minutes prior couldn't kick in fast enough. He longed to numb his mind of nagging thoughts and painful memories…he loved the feeling, the sensation it brought, as if his blood thinned into water, limbs fuzzy and tingling in altered deadness. Continuing to live in this miserable reality, he might as well be able to enjoy the escape from feeling dead inside.

"Stay away from my girlfriend."

Turning his eyes slightly, the figure of a green-haired fairy appeared in his vision, those same green eyes glaring down to him. Unfazed by Cosmo's 'tough guy' exterior, Juandissimo muttered "…tell tu novia to stay away from me."

"If I see you around her again," Cosmo kneeled down, soft in his speech yet defensive his dialect. "I won't be so nice about it."

Juandissimo subtly directed his attention back to the glittering stars, far past the point of caring. He didn't need some tonto verde spouting empty threats over a girl he no longer held ties to. "…sure."

Cosmo scrunched his brow; what happened to the Juandissimo he remembered? The one ready to stand his ground, backing down to no one who crossed him. The one who could have easily beaten him within an inch of his life with his bare hands? Where was that fight in him? "…is there a reason you're on the ground?"

"…no."

"…Sooooo…" Cosmo droned, arching a brow. "…you're just…laying here for no reason."

Juandissimo irritably groaned, shifting his eyes back to Cosmo. "What _else_ is it that you want?"

Cosmo scoffed, glaring down at him. "As long as you keep what's mine and my name out your mouth, I want nothing from you. I don't want anything to do with you, so do me and my girlfriend a favor and make it easier for us to forget you exist."

Rolling his eyes, Juandissimo directed his stare to the sky. He could honestly care less at that point. "Whatever."

Just as Cosmo stood to leave, a sudden thought popped in Juandissimo's mind. "Before you go…"

Stopping mid-flight, Cosmo kept his back turned, deciding to listen to whatever that irrelevant scum had to say.

"I just have one question."

Turning around, Cosmo hovered back to where he lay, kneeling back down to his level as he sighed "…what."

"Back when you tried…did you truly want to die?"

Cosmo paused. No amount of therapy will ever make this moment okay. "…Are you serious?"

"Si." Juandissimo confirmed as if obvious. "That is why I asked."

Mulling over what answer he would give, Cosmo's eyes wandered in thought. Should he tell the truth? To a fairy he wouldn't trust with his life? What was his objective? His motive? Whatever the case, lying probably wouldn't change anything. "…yes."

"Why?"

"Um…" Cosmo paused again. Thinking about his suicide attempt wasn't exactly on top of his 'to-do' list. "Cuz I thought everyone would be better off."

Sometimes he still wondered if everyone would be better off.

Sometimes he'd find himself doubting whether he was worthy of a second chance at life. Was the vison of his father correct in saying he had so much life ahead of him, that it wasn't his time yet? Invectives of his mother shrouded his mind in so much unwarranted doubt…was he just making Wanda's life and everyone else's lives worse?

Losing himself in his thoughts, it took a moment for him to realize Juandissimo grew silent, and when he turned to him, he noticed something suddenly felt a different vibe from him. "…Juandissimo?"

The world around him swiveled, air rippling in his vision. He rolled himself to his agitated stomach, failing to push his weight with waning arms. Burning and freezing sensations rushed through his veins, feeling a wash in his brain. His eyes struggled to focus, a half-tone brick in his head. With every effort he made to stand, he stumbled back to the ground, almost like magnetic gait. Keeping track of how much Spell he'd drink in one sitting wasn't something he did, but perhaps drinking three-quarters of 16 ounces wasn't as good of an idea as it seemed at the time. Instead of swimming in bliss, he felt like the waste dumped in a sewage tank.

Cosmo saw Juandissimo as someone who always had it together, so to see him so 'out of control' puzzled him. "…You need help?" Cosmo questioned Juandissimo's drunken stupor. "Like...of the medic kind?"

Juandissimo shook his head, finally bringing himself to his knees. He might as well be floating underwater from the swelling of pressure in his skull. "…no…" he slurred. "…leave me alone…"

Cosmo shrugged, standing to his feet. He didn't have to tell him twice. "Suit yourself."

Floating back in the air, Cosmo stared at his rival with fixed eyes before continuing his aimless journey, leaving Juandissimo doubling over with his face in his palms, attempting to stop his surroundings from wheeling.

* * *

"…Susie?" Alewandro laid a hand over Susie's, her hand over the transmission of her car. "¿Estas bien?"

Susie eyed her grandmother's home through the windshield, fidgeting from the flutters in her stomach with her other hand tight around the steering wheel. "…If it weren't for Gammie, I wouldn't be here…"

Susie wanted no ties with her father, nor could she stomach being in his presence, but in recent months, her grandmother's health had deteriorated quite a bit. Her Magicabetes worsened from Type II to Type I which resulted in numerous bouts of shortness of breath, and her hypertension became harder to control, landing her a few visits to the ER just over Christmas Break alone. Her grandmother's health worried her, and despite being so far from her at the Fairy Academy, Susie always made it a point to go check on her at least once a week.

Though, it was easier to do so before Bernard reared his imprudent head…

"…thank you." Susie mustered a smile. "For coming with me."

Raising her hand to him, he gave it soft peck of luck. "Gracias for bringing me."

Stalling long enough, Susie and Alewandro exited the vehicle, and with a couple beeps of locking her doors, Susie and Alewandro flew along the paver stone walkway to the chevron hinged front door stained in clear knotty adler. Grandma Cocoa expected their company, so Susie took out her old house keys from her jean jacket and unlocked the door. The young fairies entered into a home void of artificial light, dimly lit by afternoon sun gleaming through the sheer voile curtains over the four front windows and the two in the kitchen connected to the living room by a rounded archway. Susie called ahead of time letting Grandma Cocoa know to expect her; if she knew they were coming, wouldn't there at least be a couple lights on?

"Gammie!" Susie called out. "Gammie, we're here!"

She called out a few more times, yet silence greeted her. Bernard also appeared to be missing.

"Do you think they went out somewhere?" Alewandro asked.

"Neither one of them have any transportation." Susie replied, floating to peer behind the archway down the hall in between the living room and the kitchen. "And Gammie's too weak to use her magic to poof them both anywhere."

"Bernard maybe took her somewhere with his magic?" Alewandro assumed.

"He lost his wand a long time ago and hadn't gotten around to get a new one…"

"Soooo do you think she may have gotten tired and went to take a nap?"

At two in the afternoon on a Saturday? Not unlikely.

Susie flew into the hallway to her grandmother's room, seeing the door ajar, and Alewandro followed behind as Susie went inside. She found Grandma Cocoa in her bed, propped with a pillow behind her back. Her head slouched over her chest in an uncomfortable angle, and her arms hung limp beside her. Falling asleep upright wasn't too out of the norm…sleeping with her head drooped like she'd gotten the lights punched out of her was.

"…Gammie?" Susie went to give her grandmother a couple shakes, thinking she'd wake up that way. "We're here."

Shaking and calling out to her had no effect, something else outside of the norm as Grandma Cocoa was no heavy sleeper. The slightest bristle of a tree branch against her window would wake her.

Alewandro flew to the other side of Grandma Cocoa, leaning to listen to her breathing. Her breaths were unusually thin and shallow, and when he set her palm over her heart, he noticed the rapid, uneven pacing of its beats. "…she is not breathing normally." Alewandro noted, also finding how sweaty her palms were.

Susie rushed to the bathroom connected to Grandma Cocoa's room, remembering that when her blood sugar dropped, she needed to raise her levels before things got dire. Her insulin and needles would normally be in her medicine cabinet, only to find that both absent. Grandma Cocoa had forgotten to restock her supplies in the past, but never did she go longer than half a day without. Susie always helped her stay on top of her medicine, sometimes refilling her prescription on her behalf. Being away at the Fairy Academy, she couldn't monitor her grandmother as closely as she wanted, and with her trying to take care of Bernard, she may have forgotten to take care of herself, no telling exactly when she ran out of insulin and needles.

That could only mean one thing, and they had to act quickly for the sake of her grandmother's life.

**. . . . . .**

As his ride drove off, Bernard rushed to the front entrance of the hospital. Upon his return to his mother's house, he found a note from Susie informing him of Grandma Cocoa dire condition. The news of this shocked him. He'd only been gone of all of thirty minutes; he knew of her complications with Magicabetes but wasn't aware that her condition was so dire.

Entering through the automatic sliding doors of the ER, antiseptic entered his nose and he brought his arms around him from the chill in the air. Medical infomercials repeated across the screens of mounted TVs, unwatched by the other occupants, while the receptionist shuffled papers over her desk. He spotted his daughter seated beside a male with his arm over her shoulder, both unaware of his arrival until he called out to his daughter.

"I saw your letter…" Bernard approached them, hoping they would have the answer to his question. "What happened?!"

His body had been forced backwards by Susie's hands as she shot from her seat to shoved him. "I _knew_ it!"

"Susie, I don't understand…" In that instance, Bernard knew not why he was on the receiving end of Susie's hostility.

"Her needles were gone and so was her insulin!" Susie stabbed a finger into his chest, backing him away steadily. "You stole from her again to get your next fix, didn't you!"

Bernard raised his hands in defense. Drug addicts will do anything for a fix, but Bernard knew better than to stoop that low, not after realizing what harm it caused to his family. "I knew she ran out when she kept complainin' how tired and dizzy she was and hadn't taken her insulin since yesterday and she didn't eat very much today…." He tried to explain, speaking from honesty. "I left to go get more, but it took longer than expected-"

"Oh, please! I wasn't born last night!" Susie ignored Alewandro's attempts to calm her down from making too big of a scene. "How do you expect me to believe that?!"

Reaching into his trench coat pocket, he revealed a paper bag, showing new needles and insulin from the local pharmacy. "…I got a ride from a friend in rehab, and momma let me go fill it for her." Judging by her skeptical glare, he could tell she didn't want to believe him, even with evidence right in front of her. "I swear…"

"Ms. Sprinkle?"

Dr. Studwell came from the double doors leading further into the ER as the trio acknowledged him. Noting the optimism in the doctor's expression, Susie took this as a good sign for good news.

"We were able to give your grandmother some Dextrose IV which helped raise her blood sugars almost instantly." Dr. Studwell relayed politely with his trademark smile. "She's going to make a full recovery."

"Thank goodness…" Bernard sighed in relief.

"She's awake now if any of you would like to go see her." Dr. Studwell offered.

Susie's anxious eyes looked back to Alewandro, almost as if asking permission. Reading her mind, Alewandro took Susie's fingers into his.

"Go ahead." Alewandro softly encouraged, stroking her hand. "She is probably waiting for you."

After thanking him with a kiss on the cheek, Susie followed Dr. Studwell as he led her through the double doors into the corridors of the ER. Alewandro waited until Susie and Dr. Studwell disappeared before turning to the older gentleman beside him, noting the striking resemblance to his girlfriend.

"…you must be the boyfriend." Bernard began, hearing about Susie's relationship through his mother.

"…you must be the father." Knowing nothing but horrible things about the father who abandoned their daughter, Alewandro still wanted to be polite. It wasn't his place to judge him.

"Bernard." Bernard extended an arm.

"Alewandro." Alewandro shook his hand. "Nice to meet you."

"Kinda wish it wasn't under these circumstances." Bernard admitted lightheartedly.

"Neither do I." Alewandro shrugged. "Pero, what can you do?"

"Verdadero, man…"

Alewandro stared at him in slight surprise. "¿tu hablas español?"

"More like Spanglish." Bernard chuckled. "But my homie, Quandero? He's the one who dropped me off. We got real close in rehab…taught me a lil' somethin'."

"Nice."

Bernard licked his lips looking away for a second. Leaving his daughter at four years old, returning fifteen years later to meet the boy she'd been dating for over a year after just coming back in her life a week ago. It felt so weird to him, felt out of place. He missed so many of her other milestones…he didn't feel like a father meeting his daughter's boyfriend. He was hardly a father at all.

Definitely not according to Susie.

She harbored so much animosity to accuse him of jeopardizing his own mother's health for his own personal gain, and that tore him inside. He wished Susie loved him as a father like she loved Alewandro as a partner. He had that love once, and he betrayed that love. Now he had to show both his mother and his daughter that he chooses family and loves them more than anything in the world.

He had a lot to prove.

* * *

The evening sun cast long shadows on the ground, slanting rays of sun setting into warm rosy-orange hues in the sky. Susie kept her empty stare down to her buckled platforms, occupying the vacant garnet surface of the amphitheater.

After her grandmother was released from the hospital back into the care of Bernard, Susie felt conflicted. It made it difficult to accept his efforts to change, yet a part of her needed him just as much as he needed her. She remembered growing up with the sense of missing a key piece to solve the puzzle in her life, a hole in her heart that never seemed to fill no matter how many positive influences she had around her. The little girl in her yearned for his presence, his unconditional love, his deep, abiding caring for her as part of him.

She wanted that and more, yet she didn't want the protected glass of the little girl in her to shatter again.

"Why all by ya lonesome, Seuce tha goose?!

Susie veered to the familiar voice approaching her, recognizing that signature cobalt high-fade mohawk from a mile away. Half a smile curved her lips, not surprised by his weird sense of humor from her new nickname he came up with. "What? Is it not normal to be alone?"

"For you? Not exactly." Spike amused, taking his seat next to Susie. "Usually you're with Wandro, double dating with Wands and Cozzie, kickin' it with the gals or, y'know, with the squad. Haven't really seen you all alone before."

"Well for all you know, I _do_ enjoy my time alone." Susie teased back.

"Suuuuuuuuuure." Spike scoffed before repeating his question. "So wussup with ya?"

Susie eyed him with a grin. "Why are you so eager to know?"

"What?" Spike smirked. "I can't be concerned 'bout one of my best friends?"

"Best friend?" Susie and Spike didn't always see eye-to-eye in the beginning, so she found it strange for him to refer to her as such.

"Well, considering you're one of my first real friends," Spike casually explained. "I say that counts."

"Oh woooooooooow." Susie pretended to be shocked. "I'm so flattered!"

Spike's response came in a small laugh, peering out to the dew of the purple grass before them. "Don't flatter yourself, Seuce."

When silence befell the two, Susie observed Spike quietly, recalling the situation with his estranged mother that practically mirrored her own with her father. In knowing Spike for almost two years, the longer she knew and took the chance to get to know Spike, the more she learned how much they actually had in common. Growing up as an only child in single parent households, one parent abandoning them for their own selfish needs, sharing their belief that expression of emotions equaled weakness.

Aside from their more obvious differences, Wanda would joke at times how Spike could be the male version of her.

"…hey, Spike?"

"Yeah?"

She looked away briefly, finding herself in unfamiliar territory. Conversations between just her and Spike usually never went below surface level, like what bands to listen to or rating different movies. However, in a sense, he was possibly the only one to really understand what she was about to ask the most. "…should we always give someone a second chance?"

Considering her question, Spike's answer came with a small shrug. "Depends on whether they deserve it."

"But how do we know when they truly deserve it and when they don't?"

"…well…think of it like this." He shifted his sitting position to where he could face her. "If you wronged someone you care about, and you apologize and say you'll change and what not…but you don't really change and you keep committing the same wrongs, would you feel like you'd deserve a second chance?"

"I probably wouldn't expect one if that was the case." Susie thoughtfully admitted. "But…if it's the other way around…how would we know that when someone tells us they'll change, they mean it?"

"Actions always speak louder." Spike reminded. "You can tell someone's learned from the wrongs of their past in how they uphold themselves in the present and the steps they take to never make the same mistakes in the future."

"So, for example…" Susie hesitated, unsure if Spike would want her to tread those waters. "…you think your mom deserves a second chance?"

Hearing Susie ask out loud what he had questioned within himself for weeks, Spike held her wondering eyes with a serious gaze. His animosity towards her wasn't ready to face her the way his father wanted him to. Was she even the same woman that wanted absolutely nothing to do with him the first seven years of his life? Would his father express so much disappointment in his son's behavior towards her if his father saw no change in her?

Knowing as much about Susie's father as she knew about his mother, he hoped answering her question with his own wouldn't make him sound too defensive. "What about your dad?"

Recalling the amount of suffering she faced at a young age because of her 'sperm donor', did he actually deserve a second chance? Her grandmother seems to think so, but what about her? Did her grandmother consider how hard it would be for the daughter her son basically neglected? Sure, all is in the past, but past traumas damages more than just a person's mind...

* * *

Returning from his study group, Cupid used his keys to go inside his room only to find it dimly lit from the moon's glow shimmering through his window beneath his raised blinds. He could see Juandissimo sleeping on his stomach with one of his arms hanging off the side of his bed, and from his lax features, he was out cold. Cupid took out his phone to check the time; what college student goes to bed before 8:30 on a Saturday night? Then again, he couldn't be too surprised. Juandissimo's sleeping patterns seemed pretty sporadic lately.

Setting his backpack by his bed, Cupid opened his phone to text Sapphire back, letting her know he would be ready to leave once he picked his outfit. He and the triplets planned on attending a frat party, half to get drunk and dance the night away, and half for Cupid to flirt with some cute guys.

Cupid heard Juandissimo's phone on the floor, some distance away from his backpack and his leather jacket sprawled next to it. Cupid found it odd that his phone would just be laying open randomly on the floor, so he flew to see that Mrs. Magnifico was calling. He looked over to Juandissimo, realizing his ears were deaf to his ringtone, and took the phone to bring it to his ear. "Hey, Mrs. M."

"Hola, Cupid." Cupid loved when he finally met Juandissimo's mother. He found her kindness to be so adorable. "How are you?"

"No complaints here. How're you?"

"Estoy bien, gracias for asking. Is Juandissimo around?"

"…um?" Cupid turned to his sleeping roommate. "I can try to wake him up for you."

"Oh, no-no." Mrs. Magnifico respectfully declined. "Mi hija expressed some concern about her last conversation with him and I was calling to check on him."

"Are you sure?" Cupid insisted, relating to their concern. "It's no problem."

"It is quite alright, Cupid." Mrs. Magnifico ensured. "She told me he sounded awfully tired when she spoke to him, so I will just let him rest."

"Oh, okay." Cupid looked around Juandissimo's area in search for the mysterious white bottle. "I'll let him know you called."

"That would be great, gracias Cupid."

"No problemo."

Exchanging goodbyes, Cupid ended the call and Juandissimo's phone on his desk. He didn't find any white bottle in his trashcan, nor had he seen it the whole week. Maybe he stopped drinking whatever it was, or maybe he got smarter as to where he kept it.

Just as he was about to turn around to his closet for some party clothes, he heard faint, incoherent mumbling. He hadn't heard Juandissimo talk in his sleep before, and he also found it strange for Juandissimo to be sweating with from just a thin sheet covering him.

Floating closer, Cupid placed a hand on Juandissimo, his forehead hot to the touch. He moved his hand down to his neck and just above his wings, feeling heat radiating off his body. He was burning up, and Cupid had no idea as to why. His first instinct was to try and wake him, though he knew he wouldn't stir if he shook him. Using his wand, he materialized another spray bottle, and with a few squirts, Juandissimo awoke with a jerk, rolling over on his back as he wiped his face. The bottle soon disappeared, and Juandissimo sat upright in his bed, both palms over his eyes.

"…why do you keep doing that?" Juandissimo grumbled; this was the fourth time he woke up to water on his face at the hands of Cupid.

Cupid set his hands sassily on the hip of his diaper. "You literally don't respond to any other stimuli!"

Holding his pounding head, Juandissimo met Cupid's blue gaze with tired blue-violets. "…why did you wake me?"

"Well one, your mom called." Cupid replied "And two, you were burning up and I got worried."

Juandissimo noticed his tank top layered in his own perspiration, feeling his body temperature higher than normal. He himself couldn't pinpoint the cause…he barely remembered coming back to his room, not after finishing well over half a bottle of Spell hours prior. The last he really recalled was hanging out behind the Leo Hall building. No one else around, he drank as different cars passed by on the road behind the barbed fence, and the more he drank, the fuzzier his timeline of events became.

"I am really worried about you, Juandissimo." Cupid sincerely admitted, finding no life in his friend's stare.

Lowering his eyes, Juandissimo simply muttered. "…there is nothing for you to worry about…"

"Juan…"

"Drop it."

A small frown falling in his features, Cupid didn't want any hostility, so he chose to respect Juandissimo's wishes. "…fine."

Cupid left to pick an outfit from his closet, while Juandissimo bent his knees to bury his face in his folded arms. Opening his closet, Cupid looked back to Juandissimo, saddened by how miserable he seemed. He wanted to be Juandissimo's light, but what good was he when Juandissimo refused to open the blinds over his heart to let light in? In agreeing to be his roommate, a small part of him believed this could give them the chance to grow closer. Sharing the same space with a different soul, to some, had that tendency, but so far, that hadn't been the case. It almost seemed as if Juandissimo shut him out more than when they were mere acquaintances. For whatever reason this was, Cupid had to back off, though this wouldn't change how much he cared…

He could only hope that one day, Juandissimo would let him in.


	16. Chapter 16

Droplets dripped from blooming flowers and evergreen trees, bedarkened clouds weeping beads of water into plinking puddles forming throughout the purple grass. Rooftops and roofs of cars sprinkled in a spray of heavy rain, murmurs of buzzing pattering about.

Rose traveled to alone from the student union to Thornton and Alewandro's room, her umbrella shielding from the rain. She had nothing else better to do, so she figured she could chill with them while she waited for Spike to finish a research paper at the library before their date. Feeling her phone vibrate in her hand, she opened her phone to see a text from an unknown number. **_"You look real cute in that skirt."_**

Over the last few weeks, she'd been receiving more cryptic messages from unknown number, messages with some unknown hidden meaning. Her phone didn't have the necessary technology to block unknown numbers, so she'd delete the message and hope they wouldn't contact her again. This newer message was the first message commenting on her outfit, meaning someone had to be around her to know what she wore. Her eyes peered through the rain around her, finding only a couple of students out and about but none of whom appeared to be watching her or even aware that she existed.

Confused, her naivety texted the sender back. No one outside of her social group had her number, so if she can figure out who it could be, she could possibly file a harassment claim. **_"Who is this?"_**

Not even ten seconds later did she receive a chilling response. **_"You know exactly who this is, Rosemary."_**

Besides the parents that named her and now her boyfriend Spike, only two other fairies ever in her life knew her birth name. One of them was her best friend Thornton, and the other was someone she used to date…

Her eyes searched frantically through her surroundings, searching for anyone she'd recognize among the other students scattered throughout campus. electric-green hair shouldn't be hard to spot out. Even from darting her eyes from left to right multiple times, he was nowhere to be found. If he'd ducked behind a tree or a bench, she wouldn't know. She wouldn't know if he disappeared with his wand, and her eyes wouldn't be able to see if he somehow saw her through a window in a random building.

She couldn't see him, but her rapist ex had electric-green eyes upon his prey...

**. . . . . .**

With electric guitars singing, kick drums punching, and crash cymbals of 'Leprechaun Park' thumping from Thornton's stereo, Alewandro crouched in his desk chair as he rubbed both eyes with the back of his hands, both burning from irritation.

"Yo, Wandro, when you gonna go see someone?" Thornton sincerely asked, his back leaned against his pillow as Rose sat quietly on the end with her legs dangling off the edge of the bed, eyes glued to her phone. "You look beat, bro."

"Do not worry about me, it is mostly from school stress." Alewandro dismissed his fatigue with a shrug. "Nothing out of the ordinary."

Rose's phone vibrated with a message from an unknown sender, though the sender wasn't unknown to her. Opening the message, her eyes widened in a terror she hadn't felt in a long time.

**_"Still hangin' around that Burrhair Thorn, I see? And who the hell is that Spickle?"_ **

Her first instinct was to dart her eyes frantically to the window, thinking she'd see his electric-green eyes staring back at her. Yet he was invisible to her.

Noting the disturbance on her face, Thornton sat up against his pillow. "You good, Rose?"

Her eyes locked on Thornton, Rose hadn't disclosed the unknown messages to Thornton, aware of how he'd react. The last interaction Thornton had with her ex almost resulted in the end of Thornton's life, and knowing the deranged tendencies of her ex, she didn't want to risk her best friend getting hurt in any way, shape or form…or worse.

"…I-I'm fine." The tremble in her voice wasn't very convincing.

"I know you lyin'." Thornton noticed how jumpy Rose seemed; the last time she was that anxious, 'he who shall not be named' was in the picture. "What's wrong?"

Judging by the seriousness in his tone, Rose came to the conclusion that lying would get her nowhere, especially with Thornton. Once Thornton figured out her quirks, lying became impossible.

She might as well come clean. "…Zimmerman's texting me."

"Zimmerman?" Alewandro saw the instant switch in Thornton's expression from seriously calm to seriously bothered. "…who is Zimmerman?"

"That psycho ex-boyfriend that's su _pposed_ to be under a no contact restraining order!" Thornton swiped Rose's phone from her hand much to her dislike, eyes fixed on one of the few people he would give his life to protect. "Why didn't you report him straight away?!"

"The only proof I have of him is from what the messages say!" Rose told, well aware of her mistake. "He's texting me from an unknown number, and I have no idea where he is!"

"He _llo_?! That's why you report that psycho to the police!" Thornton reminded. "They can track him down and arrest him!"

"And any number can be traced, even if he is using a burner phone." Alewandro added. "I can ask mi papá who he knows about tracing the number for you."

"Thank you, Wandro." Regardless of Alewandro's father being a cop, Rose never really enjoyed reaching out to others for help. "But I don't wanna cause anyone any trouble…"

"Tu es mi amiga, Rose." Alewandro stated with a bushed smile. "I am happy to help if I can."

"And I'll be even happier when that dirtbag's rotting behind bars!" Thornton commented, Rose's phone still in his grasp. "Which is why I'm going with you. Right this instant."

Rose scrunched her brow. "Going with me where?"

"To the police." Thornton replied straightforwardly. "Duh."

"Thorn-"

"I'm not taking 'no' for an answer."

"But Thorn-"

"Aht-aht!" Rose found herself silenced with Thornton's finger pressed against her lip. "Don't argue with me, Rosemary. You won't win."

Thornton may joke around sometimes and love to make others laugh, but when he addresses her by her birthname, she understood that he was dead serious.

"…fine." Rose gave up, getting up to grab her purse from Thornton's desk. If she wasn't so afraid of Zimmerman, she'd be more willing to go through the possible consequences of turn him in…

* * *

An everlasting waterfall pouring from the metal head, Cosmo took the moment to comb the water through his green shag, allowing his mind to fade into null. The sensations of humid mist calmed him, took his mind off all stress and nagging thoughts, everything fogging into a steamed illusion. His toes flinched against the coolness of the ceramic floor, but the heat of the shower helped tolerate it. Continuous patters filled his ears as water streamed through his scalp, wiping excess water from his eyes once his hair had a nice rinse through.

He found himself in an insecure rut over the last few weeks. Being alone, being without Wanda, made him uncomfortable. Did he think Wanda would abandon him? Not necessarily. Were there multiple reasons for her to do so? Absolutely, and that worried him the most.

A vicious cycle it was; without his job, he can't pay for school, but without school, he'd be stuck working a dead-end job the rest of his life. Working a crazy amount of hours sucked the life out of him, and this often led to the lack of motivation to study or exert any energy towards anything school related. He had trouble concentrating even without a job. Everything became much more difficult than he anticipated.

If he were more book smart, Wanda wouldn't have to spend so much time helping him stay on top of his own studies. From what he's seen, Juandissimo barely paid any attention in class, if he even showed. How is it that he hasn't completely flunked out? It seemed like he didn't have to try as hard as Cosmo does…no one ever had to try as hard as Cosmo did.

He was nothing but a stupid, scrawny sack of bones. A bull's eye target for bullies all pre-secondary school. Luther made his life a living hell. Standing up for himself never worked, simply out of never being strong enough. Juandissimo shows up for one year and Luther backs down to him without Juandissimo having to lift a finger. Sure, that was high school, but while everyone respected Juandissimo, not a lot of people respected Cosmo.

Many times had he been called 'cute,' rarely had he been referred to as 'sexy.' Not a lot of females, including Wanda, automatically thought of any suave or alluring qualities when he came to mind. If he wanted, Juandissimo could have any girl that admired his masculine physique…something Cosmo just couldn't relate. He sighed to himself at the thought; Wanda needs a protector, not a wimp.

Squirting bodywash into his rag, Cosmo scrubbed his arms in circular motions, moving along his torso from one to the other. He watched the suds cleanse the day of classes and tests he felt ill-prepared for. Granted, he was freshening up just to sweat it off in manual labor at his job; however, the shower gave him the chance to find his center, gearing to leave one form of stress to face another.

Community bathrooms took some getting used to; while the white plastic curtains provided a level of privacy, multiple fairies could take showers at any time. If Cosmo wanted a lone shower, he had to be strategic. Wee hours of the morning, late hours of the night, and Friday afternoons just after the end of classes were usually the best times.

Sometimes Cosmo's little strategy would pan out, and other times…not quite.

"Psssssssssst. Hey!"

Cosmo paused, looking up to a shadowy figure appearing behind the curtain. Hmm. Odd. Uh…was this the part where he freaks out in a shriek of 'wtf?' "…uh…yeah?" he cautiously called out above the hiss of his shower.

"You want a taco?"

"…I'm sorry?!"

"A taco." the mysterious male figure repeated as if this was an everyday occurrence. "You want one?"

This had to be the absolute weirdest moment in his entire almost nineteen years of existence. There were literally no words to describe his utter bamboozlement.

Staring puzzledly at the curtain, Cosmo set his rag next to his bodywash. "…right now?"

"Why not?"

"…uh…" What did he mean 'why not'?! Maybe he should just agree to it just to get him to go away; he can't possibly take this stranger seriously. "…sure?"

"Cool. Here you go, dude."

Suddenly, a hand holding a wrapped beef taco appeared from behind the curtain, the hard corn shell surprisingly staying stiff in spite of the heavy steam circling the air. He saw no visible bite marks, appearing to have been recently purchased. Cosmo, totally confused, decided not to be rude and hesitantly took the taco from him. "…t-thanks?"

"No probs, dude." The hand quickly retreated. "Have a good rest of your day!"

"…you too?"

When he could no longer see the shadow, he felt frozen as baffled green eyes turned to the mysterious taco in hand.

**. . . . . .**

Wanda was relaxing on Cosmo's bed, reading another chapter of another 'Juicebumps' novel when Cosmo opened the door to his bedroom, clothed in his uniform with his toiletries gathered in a small bag. She saw him close the door and instantly spotted the beef taco in his other hand. "Uh…why-"

"Don't ask." Cosmo sighed as he shook his head, putting his toiletries on top of his drawer with taco still in hand. "Cuz I dunno, either."

"…okay?" Wanda cocked a brow, watching Cosmo hover to his study desk.

After propping the random taco against his lamp, Cosmo straightened his bowtie, sitting with his back turned to Wanda so he could put on his shoes.

She noticed a lot of mixed messages from him. He wasn't all over her like normal. He didn't kiss her as much as he used to, didn't hug her as much as he used to. Being open and vulnerable with her seemed more of a chore to him, and most of their conversations were short and shallow, just as a few seconds prior. At the same time, since the incident at the library, they've spent less time away from each other. He didn't go a day without having her next to him in some capacity for a large quantity of time. How is it possible that someone can be distant and dependent at the same time?

Wanda observed him, waiting for when he'd turn around and give her kiss goodbye, or if he'd bring her in for a long hug, expressing how much he loved her. Just like old Cosmo, the Cosmo she fell in love with. When he got up to grab his belongings, he didn't turn to face her until he had wand and dorm keys in hand, shoving his wallet in his back slacks pocket. "You can have the taco."

Eyeing him closely, his tone sounded so…robotic to her. "You don't wanna save it?"

"Nope." Cosmo simply replied, no show of any emotion.

Still with eyes on him, Wanda watched him float to his door, no hug, no kiss, no 'I love you'…nothing. If it were anyone other than Cosmo, the nonchalant in his coldness wouldn't bother her as much as it did. "…Cosmo?"

"Yeah?" he turned around.

Closing her book, she sat up in his bed. "Why did you invite me over?"

Raising a brow, his words came slowly out of his mouth. "…because I wanted you here?"

"Do you?" she probed, trying not to sound defensive. "Because you're not really acted like it."

Nothing about him changed, not even his monotone. "Why you say that?"

"Well, one, you invite me over just for you to go take a shower thirty minutes before you have to leave for work." Wanda pointed out, somewhat irritated. "Then you simply walk away to leave as if I'm not here."

"Wanda, what are you talking about?" Cosmo shrugged, not fully understanding his girlfriend's complaints. "I know you're here."

"That's not what I'm saying." Wanda corrected, rising to float in the air. This type of conversation would probably be best held at a later time, but after weeks of Cosmo's semi distant behavior, she needed answers to her many questions. "I know something's wrong…"

Admitting something was wrong meant admitting he was weak, and in Cosmo's case, that simply cannot be. He can't be weak, not when his problems were his and his alone. Crossing his arms, he fixed his stare onto her as he stated "Maybe I just want you around, that's it that's all. Just because I don't hold your hand or anything like that, doesn't mean it's the end of Fairy World."

Staring at him in bemusement, she flew to him to take him by the hands. She knew _something_ held up his guard. Why would he act so defensive otherwise? "Is this still about your mother?"

He stared at Wanda with a blank stare. "…what?"

"Your mother." she repeated. "Does what she said still bother you?"

Her intentions were pure, but what a way to peel back the scab. They always say a man is what his mother makes him…and, without a doubt, his mother made sure to remind him just how less of one he is. Part of him wanted to slap the mess out himself. He cut his mother out for a reason, and yet she still found some way to taunt his mind.

"She's wrong about you, y'know." his girlfriend's soft reminder stripped him from his train. "You're not worthless."

A slither of remorse warped his features. This actually didn't have as much to do with his womb bearer as Wanda wanted to believe, but maybe as long as she felt that way, he could hide his true intensions. Since seeing Juandissimo that night, he found that having Wanda around him more, in his mind, gave her less of a chance to be around Muscles Magoo.

He wanted her for himself, and all because he wanted to be absolutely certain that Muscles Magoo had zero chance of stealing her from him…

* * *

Crying into her pillow, Blonda longed for the comfort of her mother's arms.

The night she found his wedding ring, she waited for him to come out of the shower before she confronted him. All she did was ask a simple question, and all he had to do was answer her truthfully. If he valued her as someone special to him at all, he would at least be honest with her when caught red handed.

She asked him if he was married, and he simply replied…

"Yes."

She left with the quickness, poofing on her trench coat and storming out the house, ignoring Professor Cardician's calls to her. From that moment on, she hadn't gone to see Professor Cardician nor had she spoken to him. Regardless of him calling and calling, begging for her to talk to him, his messages been left unread and unheard.

Never had she felt like such a fool, not with Luther, not with Treveston, not even with Juandissimo. The entire time, _she_ was the other woman, the side chick! The first man she ever loved lied to her, and she trusted his lies. He played her, and she made it so freaking easy for him. Her heart tore from the realization that all that mattered to him was living out his fantasies with her. Bile boiled in her stomach; how could she allow herself to be put in such a shameful position?

The triplets warned her of this the whole time, and she refused to listen. They saw what she couldn't, and instead of trusting the words of her life-long best friends, she trusted the deceit of someone wherein sex initiated the relationship. They truly had her best interest at heart the entire time, and she merely thought of them as haters. She actually thought they were jealous of her relationship because they were tired of being single surrounded by college-aged boys wanting nothing more than to sleep with them.…

She was so stupid!

At least they weren't so frustrated with her that they wouldn't accept her with open arms. She felt as if she didn't deserve their forgiveness for how she dug her own grave in the web of infidelity, but when she went to them and cried to them, Ruby held her in her arms with Amethyst and Sapphire hugging around them.

In that very moment, she felt like they were her sisters again.

Rekindling her sisterhood shouldn't have come at the cost of heartbreak. The triplets watched as Blonda slipped back into her old moods, the ones where she'd recluse in bed with no desire to get up and start her day. To them, it didn't make a lot of sense. No matter how well Professor Cardician withheld the existence of both women from each other, Blonda dropped a huge weight from her life, avoiding the tattoo of the 'young mistress.' Besides, what if one day, Professor Cardician wasn't so careful, and they'd get caught?

Blonda knew the triplets had difficulty understanding her melancholy over being thrusted back into single-dom. How could they? They didn't approve of the relationship in the first place…

Hearing her phone ring shot dread through her veins. She knew it was him, it was always him. She wanted to ignore his call, yet if she did, she knew he'd just keep calling and calling until she either set her phone on mute or she poof her phone somewhere far away from her. Lifting her tear-stained face from the dampness of her pillow, she reached to her desk, to answer. "The _hell_ do you want?!" came her bitter greeting.

"Please, just hear me out!" she heard him beg, only irritating her more. "I'm sorry for not telling you I was married-"

"Why would you KEEP that from me?!"

"I've been unhappy in my marriage, and when I met you, I hadn't felt happier than I have in a long time." Professor Cardician explained in heartfelt. "Our relationship was over as far as I knew, so I just-"

"You're still legally married!" Blonda interrupted. "And you thought it was a good idea to hide that!"

"I didn't think-"

"Ex _act_ ly!" Blonda interrupted. "You _didn't_ think! I don't sleep with married men, Pantaleo! I'm _not_ that kind of woman!"

"I'm so, so sorry Blonda…" the man informally addressed as Pantaleo continued to apologize.

"If you were sorry you wouldn't have entertained me while you're still freaking married in the _first_ place!" Blonda griped, feeling more hot tears irritating her eyes. "Who do you think I am?!"

"Please…how can I make it up to you?"

"How about leave me alone!"

"Blonda-"

She couldn't stand to hear his pathetic voice in her ear, so she shut her phone with a 'clap,' ending the conversation entirely. Grunting in frustration, she tossed her phone across the room, hearing it crack upon impact against the white brick wall, and as she dropped her face back in her pillow to muffle her sobs.

* * *

Spike stared questioningly at his girlfriend as she scanned her surroundings for the hundredth time. Her paranoia baffled him because she only recently exhibited this behavior hours ago. From the time they sat down at their booth to the time they finished their meals and milkshakes, ten seconds didn't go by without her looking around like someone was out to get her.

"Babe, are you good?" he finally asked, noting her unease.

"Uh…yeah?" Her anxious smile said otherwise, searching back and forth between the glass window next to them and the exit behind Spike's booth. "I'm fine."

"Expectin' someone?"

"Um…" she turned to him, attempting to mask the faint panic from her stare. "…no?"

"Babe." Spike delicately took her free hand, Rose subconsciously wincing from his warm touch. He was going to get to the bottom of this weirdness. "What's wrong?"

In efforts not to get Spike involved, she kept her unknown messages from him. If Zimmerman was after her, getting Spike involved would mean Zimmerman targeting Spike out of more access and less legal restraint. She couldn't live with herself if anything happened to him because of her. However, no matter how much she tried to hide, he's caught on to her anxiety of someone watching, someone lurking. From the seriousness in his stare, she knew she can't continue to lie to him.

"…i-it's Zimmerman." she faintly confessed, struggling with eye contact. "…he's been texting me."

Rose's phone buzzed in her other hand, and when she saw the message preview panic washed over her.

**_"You've really moved on with my look-a-like, huh?"_ **

Her eyes immediately scurried everything in her line of vision. Where was he?!

She felt her phone disappear from her hand, turning to realize Spike seized it to look at the message. She watched his brows scrunch as he lifted his glare to her, irritation behind his blue orbs. "By texting you mean borderline stalking, right?!"

Her lips mouthed words she struggled to find. "…more or less, but-"

"And you didn't _tell_ me?!"

"I didn't want you getting involved!"

"I'm your boyfriend." Spike spoke sternly. "This type of thing kinda has to concern me."

"Thornton and I went to the police this afternoon, and there's a warrant out for his arrest." Rose said, taking her phone back. "It's handled."

"But why didn't you come to me about it?!"

"Zimmerman is dangerous, Spike!" Rose argued, covering fear with frustration. "He could really hurt you…" Her frustrations diminished to wariness, trepidation glossing her teal eyes. "…and that scares me."

His expression softened at the sight of his girlfriend's crumbled defenses. He left his seat to float around the table next to her, circling an arm to bring her closer. "As long as I'm around," Spike locked his eyes with hers. "You have nothing to be afraid of."

As much as she wanted to resist, she didn't want him to let go.

"Kay, guys." Cosmo returned with their single check before noticing how upset Rose seemed. "You okay?"

"Yeah…" Rose lied, forcing a small smile as she wiped a tear away. "I'm fine."

Cosmo looked to Spike, seeing his confirming nod. If she wasn't okay, he knew Spike would make sure she was. "Okay…" he set the check in front of the couple. "Take your time."

"Thanks, bro." Spike reached into his pants pocket as Cosmo left to tend to other tables. Coming up short, he let go of Rose to reach in all the pockets he had. "Dang…"

Rose observed his wild search. "What's wrong?"

"My wallet." He muttered, giving up. "Must've left it."

"Probably fell out in the car." Rose assumed. "I can go get it for you."

Spike cocked a brow. "Or _I'll_ go get it?"

"No, I can get it."

"Okay, then I'll go with you."

"Or you can stay here." Rose took out her wand. "I'll make it quick."

Spike wasn't so sure that was a good idea. "You shouldn't go alone."

"I think I might know exactly where it is." Rose compromised. "I'll take five seconds, flat."

"Rose-"

"One of us has to stay at the table, right?"

"C'mon, it's Cozzie boy." Spike scoffed. "He knows we won't dine and dash."

Rose knew she shouldn't go anywhere by herself with Zimmerman as a threat. Still, she'd rather Zimmerman go after his real target than to hurt Spike in any capacity. "Five seconds." She cupped his face in her palms. "Promise."

He stared into her eyes, knowing it'd take a lot more to change her mind. If anyone thought Spike to be stubborn, they hadn't met Rose. "…okay." Spike grudgingly submitted, moving her hands from his cheeks. "But if you're not back by the time I count to three, I'm comin' out there."

She grinned faintly; she can never get over how protective he is. "Okay."

Flicking her wand, Rose vanished in teal smoke into the dusk of night.

Streetlamps casted sparkles through darkness, shining down Rose's apple red coupé parked just a few spaces down from the entrance. She surveyed her surroundings, ensuring she were the only fairy by her car, and using the light from the streetlamp above, she peered into her driver's side window, finding Spike's leather wallet unattended in the passenger seat. Wand in hand, she conjured magic to transfer the wallet into her hand, and just when she was about to use her magic to return inside the diner…

One arm snaked her neck, and another disarmed her wand.

Air hitched in her throat, she couldn't breathe, couldn't make a sound. She helpless watched Spike's wallet and her wand thud on the concrete below, struggling to break her arms free as the mysterious figure pinned them behind her wings. Feeling someone breathing in her ear, the figure began to speak, his ominous tenor tone shooting chills down her spine.

"Hello, Rosemary."

Frozen in panic, electric anxiety shocked her brain, pacing her heart thumping madly against her ribs. No logical thought crossed her mind, her worst fear coming into fruition. She was trapped, and she knew it. Not only was she trapped, she was trapped by the one person she hoped legal document kept him as far away as physically possible…

Zimmerman.

Seeing his worst nightmare right before his eyes, Spike shot from his seat, making a mad dash to the front door. Mr. Wonka flew from the back kitchen out into the main dining area, and when he saw Spike shove his way out the door to a woman restrained by a black hooded figure in jogger pants, he followed him as he grabbed his phone from his pocket, leaving a few customers and employees speculative to the situation.

"Let her go!" Spike demanded to the attacker, stopping midflight by the sight of Rose frantic by cold of a metal blade pressed against her larynx.

Electric-green eyes glowing wild with menace, taper-fade mohawk peeking underneath his black hood, his restraint around his ex-girlfriend's wrists tightened as soft whimpers were all Rose could voice. "Come any closer and I slit the bitch's throat!"

Customers could hear the loud threat from inside, and many began to gather around the windows as onlookers.

"Stop or I'll call tha police!" Mr. Wonka threatened, holding his phone in the air with 9-1-1 ready to dial.

Completely unfazed, Zimmerman laughed maniacally. "You don't wanna do that."

"And you don't wanna hurt her!" Mr. Wonka countered. "Not unless you want a free ride to jail!"

Spike grit his teeth as his fists balled in frustration. Every bit of him wanted to ring that guy's neck. His blood boiled by the fear watering her eyes. He should have known Zimmerman would rear his sick head in the right vulnerable moment…why would he let her go out on her own even if for a split second?! What kind of a lousy boyfriend was he?!

He shook the thoughts from his mind, he can't think about that right now…he had to get Rose away from that snake the safest way possible. Any wrong move could cost her life.

"Feelin' froggy?" Zimmerman mocked Spike, another whimper escaping his victim as he pushed the blade against her neck, breaking enough skin for blood to trickle. "Jump."

"…Dammit Zimmerman, leave her alone!" Spike shouted, trying to come up with a strategy around the captive's ploy.

"You must care a lot about her." Zimmerman held his mocking scowl, Rose blinking back tears in his constraint. He used the flat of his blade to raise Rose's chin, the sharp edge still aimed towards her, sharp breathing burning her nostrils. "Would you give your life for her sake?"

"Cut the crap, Zimmerman!" Spike was in no mood for his games. "She doesn't deserve this!"

"It's not about what she deserves!" Zimmerman refuted, unaware of a tangerine fairy sneaking up behind him with his own hefty weapon. "It's about what I want." Rose winced from the blade digging further into her skin, crimson droplets dripping down, blending into her sweater. "…and I want blood."

Zimmerman's head cocked sideways from a rock to the side of his temple, loosening his restraint from the blow knocking him and his knife like a dud to the ground. Rose fled her attacker and rushed straight into Spike's arms, and Thornton, blooded rock in hand, glared down at Zimmerman's limp body, a gashing wound bleeding out from his temple.

He didn't hit him hard enough to kill him, just enough to knock him out to stop him from hurting anyone else. "…dumb bastard…"

Thornton noticed Spike's wallet and Rose's wand on the ground, so after tossing the rock to the side, he retrieved both to return to their rightful owners.

Mr. Wonka took this cue to dial 9-1-1 while Rose buried her face into Spike's sleeveless shirt, allowing her tears to fall. Everything happened so overwhelmingly fast, a mix of emotions swirling around all at once. For a split second, she Spike would be the last thing she ever saw. "I-I was…so…s-scared…"

"Rose, look at me." He pulled away gently, lifting her chin so her weeping gaze could meet the seriousness in his. "You won't ever have to worry about that psycho again. You hear?"

Closing her eyes from the burn of fresh tears streaming, Rose quivered in her nod as chest heaved with sobs. Thornton approached his two best friends, seeing Spike embrace his girlfriend protectively while nestled his chin into her marmalade puff, shushing her to subdue her muffled sobs. Noticing Thornton, Spike lifted his stare, and without saying too much, gave a nod of gratitude. Reading the motion, Thornton returned the gesture, handing Spike both his wallet and Rose's wand.

Finding the coast was clear, Cosmo flew out of the diner, hovering next to Mr. Wonka who looked around for police and ambulance to show. Only a few moments past before the pulsing wails of sirens howled through the air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so, about the words Zimmerman used to describe Thornton and Alewandro. They're obviously, based off real-life racial slurs for POC. As a fellow POC, obviously, I don't condone those slurs, but it's to show just what an asshat Zimmerman really is. I just feel the need to explain why I use derogatory terms in my stories cuz I'm not trying to offend anyone. Don't think fairies or other magical fae acknowledge 'race,' but is that a thing in my AU? Why not.  
> Regarding the taco situation; I read a few crazy college dorm stories online and came across an anonymous one where someone was literally taking a shower in their community bathroom and some random person offered them a taco. I saw that and was like...that sounds like some mess Cozzie boy would find himself in lol honestly the story was too good not to reference.


	17. Chapter 17

Earbuds blocking out other cars passing by, Blonda folded her arms around herself, floating as she counted each cement block of the sidewalk as she passed the brick fence surrounding the broad campus. Afternoon walks occurred more often; with the semester end in sight, thus the end of Freshman year, the stress of end term papers and final assignments piled on top of the personal strife she currently endured.

Professor Cardician hadn't made too much noise since she hung up on him that day. She'd seen him around the Drama building, no other interaction other than awkwardly floating passed the other. Sometimes she'd see him chatting with other professors in the department, other times he'd retire to his office in between classes. Every time she passed, he'd pretend to be blind to her existence, something Blonda figured might as well be a good thing. The less interactions they had, the better.

That, unfortunately, would not stay the case for long.

The honk of a car horn pierced through her Dance Pop track, and when she looked to her right, she immediately wished she had ignored it.

"Can we talk?" Professor Cardician had his driver's side window down, simultaneously watching the road in his Roadster. "Please?"

Her response? A good old fashioned middle finger to his face, no cares left to give. "Piss off, punk."

"Blonda, I don't want trouble." Professor Cardician ignored her hostility, truly hoping to make amends. "Please? I just want to talk."

"Can you just leave me alone?!" Blonda shot back. "Someone might see you begging!"

"I'm not begging, I'm asking." he continued, occasionally watching to road as he wasn't driving very fast to stay in pace with Blonda's flying. "I wanna try to work things out-"

"There's _nothing_ to work out!" she yelled in response. "I have nothing to say to you!"

"But I have a lot to say to you!" Professor Cardician rebutted. "Please…just hear me out. If you don't like what I have to say, then I'll never bother you again."

The latter part of his sentence halted her midflight, prompting Professor Cardician to slow his Roadster. Her glare could slice a rock in half. If she fell for his ploy, would that be detrimental? Then again, if she gave him what he wanted, he promised to back off. Reject him just for him to come crawling back, or give in to finally get rid of him for good? She definitely knew what the triplets would say, but if Cupid were there, he'd give her more of an incentive to do what she felt would benefit her in the end.

"…this better not be a complete waste of my time."

"It won't." Professor Cardician assured, unlocking his passenger door. "I promise."

Rolling her eyes, Blonda flew to the passenger side to let herself in, slamming the door closed on purpose. She directed her glower out the window, making no effort to look at the grimy bastard, and Professor Cardician pressed the gas pedal to finish the route to his house merely a block or so down.

**. . . . . .**

Driving into his driveway, he set the transmission in park and shut the engine, looking over to Blonda adamant in paying him no mind what's so ever. He released a dreaded sigh, one hand still gripped to the steering wheel. He grappled whether or not she'd believe what he had to tell her. He recognized just how royally he screwed up, and in admitting his faults and the steps he's taken to right his wrongs, he can only hope that she can forgive him.

"…I love you, Blonda…"

She made no acknowledgement, yet he knew she was listening by the subtle softening of her glare in the window reflection.

"I know that doesn't change the fact that I hid my marriage from you…" he turned to look at her, remorse fixed in his chiseled features. "…and I am so…so sorry that I didn't tell you."

Arms still crossed, she scoffed to herself at an apology she didn't want to accept.

"Things just got so rocky, and I just pretended we weren't married anymore, even though we're still married on paper. But you…" his loving hand found its way to her exposed thigh, thankful she didn't immediately brush him off. "…you're not just some fling to me, Blonda."

Shaking her head in denial, she kept her glare to the bushes swaying in the gentle breeze near his front door. "If I'm not some fling, then why are you still married?"

Professor Cardician mouthed intelligible words, trying to find the right ones. "…Blonda, I-"

"Why are you still married?!" Blonda directed her glare towards him, not understanding why such a question was so difficult to answer.

"…it's not that easy for me to file for divorce…" he pathetically admitted, turning away as if to hide his guilt. "Not with her early onset dementia getting worse…"

Her features twisted in utter repulsion. "…so you mean to tell me you've been getting your cock wet with me while your wife is literally _losing_ her _mind_?!"

"Blonda-"

His head sharply snapped to the right from the fury of an iron slap. "You _pig_!"

"Blonda please…" he achily cupped his reddened cheek. "Things between us were already rocky before the dementia-"

"That doesn't change anything! You make me _sick_!"

"Please, Blonda…" he reached out with a tender hand to her thigh. "You mean so much to me, and I know that deep down, I mean a lot to you too. Otherwise, you wouldn't have agreed to get in the car."

"I agreed to get in the car because you told me you'd leave me alone if I was willing to listen." Blonda roughly brushed his hand away. "And so far, you're just spilling B.S. that I've heard enough of!"

She pulled the latch to the passenger door, attempting to leave, but a strong hold on her wrist draws her back inside. Cupping her face with the other hand, he smashed his lips to hers, allowing the moment to linger as long as she'd allow it.

Realizing what he was doing, she shoved him off as hard as she could. "We're over, Pantaleo!"

"If we were over," he palmed her face once more, ocean-blue pools staring amorously into her eyes. "I wouldn't have gotten close enough to kiss you."

Once again, she shoved him away. "Get off!"

Her efforts to flee were stopped by his hands reaching around her shoulders, his grip not strong enough to hurt her but sturdy enough to hold her in place. He leaned in to kiss her, each kiss more longing than the last. His hands traveled to her cheeks, deepening the kiss in a way he knew she couldn't resist…slow and steady wins the race.

The panic in her brain wanted to push him off, slap him even. The seduction in her brain, however, wanted more.

Each kiss roused her more, a couple soft moans escaping her lips. As much as she hated herself for submitting so easily, she didn't realize before just how much she missed this…she missed his tender lips, delicate yet assertive, hungry for a taste. Feeling a hand roaming from her cheek down her side of her chest, she missed how gentle yet yearning his touches were, expressing the love and admiration he felt for her. When his kisses progressed from her lips to the nape of her neck, she missed his love bites, exciting her senses with a sensual tickle.

She missed escaping reality into the fantasy of him.

Her head rocked back in pleasure as his hand roamed its way to her thigh, crawling underneath her dress...

* * *

Thornton, having clocked out for his lunch, took out his motorcycle keys as he exited the Diner. The days before Cosmo started working at the Diner, he'd always ride his motorbike to a nearby buffet to make himself a to-go box. The employees of Fairy Dragon had become familiar with Thornton by name and by face, sometimes having a to-go box ready before he even enters the restaurant and scoring him a bit of a discount as a loyal customer. Thornton, of course, didn't mind; the employees were cool folk to talk to and always treated him with the best customer service.

"Excuse me, young man."

A baritone voice led Thornton to an older gentleman with an afro that reminded him of cantaloupe, leaned against the driver's door of the same black car he remembered from the week before in the parking lot. He couldn't put his finger on it, but something about him seemed…'familiar.' "Uh, hey."

"Sorry to bother you." The cantaloupe fairy stood from his car, a friendly smile in his masculine features. "I was wonderin' if you could help me with somethin'."

"Sure, no probs." Thornton approached, always happy to help anyone that didn't pose as a huge threat. "Wussup?"

"I'm tryin' to get back in touch with someone and uh, I've been askin' around hopin' to get some info. Do you know a Sandra Garner by chance?"

Thornton blinked in suspicion. "Uh…yeah. That's my mom. How you know her?

"We uh, went to high school together." the male fairy replied, sensing Thornton's uneasiness. "Kind of a 'long lost friend,' if you will."

Arching a brow, Thornton remembered his mother's stories of how popular she was at Spellman. She socialized with a lot of fairies, and he wouldn't put it passed her to know who the fairy was hovering before him. "Can I getta name?"

"Ahmaud." the fairy replied with a smile. "Ahmaud Floyd."

Funny, she never mentioned an 'Ahmaud' before. She knew a _lot_ of folks, maybe she just forgot to mention him. "Well uh…I can give you her number so you can call her sometime."

"Sure." Ahmaud reached for his phone in his navy slacks. "'Preciate it."

"Aight, cool." Thornton took out his phone from his uniform pocket. "I'll plug it in for you."

Ahmaud handed his phone to Thornton, trying to hide the satisfaction he felt to finally be within mere feet from his long-lost son. His mannerisms seemed just like his when he was his age, definitely no mistaking any blood relation, though he knew he had to keep that opinion to himself.

Finished adding the contact, Thornton returned Ahmaud's phone. "Thank you, young man." Ahmaud held out his hand, Thornton unsure of the motive, and Thornton lent his own to shake Ahmaud's hand.

"No problem." Thornton gave a small smile. "Hope you two get reacquainted."

"Here's to hoping. You have good rest of your day."

"You too."

Ahmaud waited for Thornton to fly to his motorcycle before entering the car through the driver's side. Breonna, on the passenger side, closed her phone as Ahmaud closed his door.

"So?" Breonna eagerly asked. "What did you find out?"

Turning to his wife, holding his phone in his hand. "Got a phone number."

"And he just gave it to you?"

Ahmaud, turning the key to his ignition, smiled craftily. "It only took some…minor convincing."

Some minor convincing that directed them to the one person they've been searching for many years, the one person that destroyed their lives nineteen years ago.

* * *

Idle in her Volks Beetle, Susie grumbled from the annoying growl in her stomach. Checking her messages, she fixed her lip in a line of disappointment. She was starving like no tomorrow, and out of everyone she reached out to so far, Cosmo wanted to spend his called-in day off with no one but Wanda, Alewandro was still napping after staying up since the day before, Thornton was at work, and after the events at the diner that transpired over a week prior, Rose wanted some time to herself.

So convenient how everyone wasn't available at the same time, right when she needed them the most.

Unless…

Finding Spike's number, she opened the message box to type her message. **_"Stars n' Spikes! Wanna get food with me?"_**

After a moment, her phone vibrated with a response. **_"Let me guess; no one else is available?"_**

She chuckled a bit from that message. **_"Nope, so you're my last hope!"_**

Spike: **_"And you want me to come, because…?"_**

Susie: **_"Where I wanna go is a long drive and I don't feel like going by myself."_**

Spike: **_"Oh great, I just_ love _being a last resort."_**

Susie: **_"Sooooo does that mean you like me enough to come anyway?"_**

Spike: **_"Actually, I'm kinda hungry myself. Where do I meet you?"_**

Susie: **_"I'm actually in my car by your dorm."_**

Spike: **" _Wow, pressed much?"_**

Susie: **_"Boy, if you don't come on!"_**

Spike: **_"Aight lol. Gimmie two seconds."_**

Setting her phone in one of her cup holders, she unlocked her doors just as Spike materialized out of a blue cloud next to the passenger door.

"Seuce tha goose!" Spike greeted, entering the vehicle. He buckled his seatbelt, somewhat glad to have an excuse not to sit in his dorm room all day. "Where're we headed?"

"There's this food truck I heard about." Susie informed. "They apparently sell these amazing turkey burgers and I've been dying to try them! The only problem is, it's all the way in Willowsing."

"Willowsing? That's like two hours from here!" Spike commented, unexpectant of such a long journey for some burgers.

"That's why I wanted company." Susie admitted. "I know I could have just poofed there but, I could really use the drive, and a four-hour drive to and from alone can be sooooooo boring."

Spike chuckled. "Whelp, I'm down for mini road trip!"

Susie smiled, turning on the radio. "Wanna listen to music? Your pick."

"Sure." Spike turned the radio knob causing a hiss of different wave frequencies. He twisted the knob until he settled on a clear signal of an alternative radio station, distorted guitars and heavy kicks of Fairvana sounding through the speakers. Setting the car in reverse, Susie pulled out from the parking lot, driving through the streets of campus to the nearest gated exit.

**. . . . . .**

A line of customers waited underneath the awning of the foo truck for their orders, seasoned char smoking from the air vents into the pink sky. Hip hop thumped the outside speakers, providing a musical atmosphere for guests enjoying their meals by the outdoor seating, shaded under jade patio umbrellas matching the truck's green and yellow color scheme.

Susie took a bite of her half pound turkey burger, biting as much as she could possibly chew. Over the last few weeks, Susie found that if she made herself laugh, or if she made herself smile, or if she kept herself busy, whether with schoolwork or socializing, then she wouldn't fall victim to overthinking and she could try to stay in a decent mood.

It killed her the amount of stress she put on her grandmother all because she couldn't stand to be in Bernard's presence and expressed absolutely no desire to have anything to do with him. It didn't help that her health had taken a rapid decline, leaving her weak and fatigued most of the day. Dr. Studwell believed her decline to be the result of her worsening Magicabetes and hypertension where her fluctuating insulin levels and rising blood pressure took a great toll on her aging body. In a weird almost cliché way, the tables turned, and Bernard took on the role of 'caregiver.'

Grandma Cocoa wished Susie would give Bernard a chance, but why would she? He neglected her, he treated her like the dirt beneath his shoe, and he allowed other men to abuse her. Yes, it was the influence of Fairoin, and yes, that wasn't really him. He wasn't all there, and the drugs kept him in an altered state of reality. However, can one forgive such actions? Explaining all of that to her grandmother proved more difficult than she imagined; her grandmother agreed with her 100%, but the mother in her couldn't make two wrongs into a right. Yes, her son did terrible things, unforgivable, inexcusable things, but she loved her son unconditionally, and she knew he loved her all the same.

Taking a bite of his own burger, Spike sorted out the mess of thoughts in his head. His relationship with his father had been on the rocks since he has yet to allow his mother into his life. For some reason, his father just couldn't see why Spike held onto his mother's past transgressions; he had forgiven her, so why can't Spike? At the same time, Spike couldn't understand why his father had all the sudden become so forgiving. Trust wasn't something he gave out freely, and like son like father, he kept his circle small for a reason. Yet he had the audacity to love the same woman that, at some point, stopped loving him back?

Admittedly, the timidity of Karen's persona vastly differed from who she was the first seven years of his life. Almost as if her personality did a 180. Some would probably find it extremely hard to believe that such an innocent being harbored so much hate for her own son, and from an outsider's perspective, they'd probably side with his father in how stubborn Spike acted. Could anyone really blame him, though? She was never all there, not spiritually or mentally that is. Nineteen years he essentially lived without a motherly figure in his life. What would be the purpose of having a mother after living without one longer than he lived with one?

"…so." Susie began, wishing to break the ice of awkward silence. "How's Rose? I don't see or hear from her much lately outside of class."

"She's a little better but still on edge…" Spike regretfully admitted, taking out his phone to send Rose a text. When she told him she needed to be alone, he wasn't sure if that was healthy for her. He hadn't heard from her since the day before, and seeing as how they usually spoke every day, it worried him. "She even has nightmares about it."

"That poor girl…" Susie sighed. "Good thing that crook's behind bars."

"Finally." Spike sullenly agreed. "Hope that bastard stays there, too…"

Resting her chin in her palm, Susie waited for Spike to finish his message, thinking of something else to talk about. Lately she felt comfortable talking about more personable topics, engaging less in the usual 'small talk.' "Your dad still upset?"

"About me hating his girlfriend?" Spike replied bitterly, putting his phone away. "Yeah…he won't even speak to me now."

"Why?" Susie quizzed. "I mean, you have every right not to want a relationship with her."

"He thinks I'm doing it out of spite and not because she's actually a horrible person." Spike folded his arms atop the table, staring down at his half-eaten burger. "Almost like she got 'em brainwashed or somethin'…"

"You don't think she's changed?" Susie inquired. "After all, from what you told me, she sounded sorry enough."

"She still found a way to make her apology about herself." Spike stated. "Goin' on about how 'crap' her own life was after she left…how can she be sorry when she still threw herself a pity party?"

In a way, Spike had a point. If someone was truly apologetic, true accountability wouldn't include justifications for wrong doings. "So what's gonna happen between you and your father?"

His brow scrunched, lowering his gaze in the realization that while he and his father had become close over the last few years, they didn't always see eye-to-eye most of his life. Spike could recall multiple arguments from their past, some escalating to physical fist matches. Influenced partially by Spike's anger issues, and partially from his father's impatience with him. Outside of those altercations, Spike hardly saw his father if it weren't for Mr. Twinkle drowning himself in work, somewhat in the same vein as Big Daddy. Spike spent more time alone than with his father; thinking back to those times, he wondered if his father became a workaholic to suppress the pain of divorce when it first happened.

Regardless of those factors, if his own father was going to choose the woman who abandoned him and only recently returned over the son he was forced to raise as a single father, then he had to learn not to care. "Dunno. I guess we just won't speak…"

Her own features fell in remorse. This outing was supposed to be a bit of a 'get-a-way.' She didn't mean for things to fall so grave. Sighing to herself, she looked to Spike, feeling the need to gain reassurance of something she desperately needed solidarity in. "…Spike?"

"Hmm?"

"Can you promise me something?"

He arched his brow, meeting her eyes. "What?"

Timidly twiddling her fingers, she thought about her next request before she apprehensively spoke. "Promise you'll always be my Stars n' Spikes?"

For some reason, he felt the appropriate response was to chuckle awkwardly. "Why you speakin' like you 'bout ta keel over and die?"

"I'm serious!" Susie huffed, making Spike chuckle once more. "Besides Cosmo and Wanda, you've become my closest friend and…I don't want that to change."

Spike knew, maybe just as well, how much they've found more commonalities between them, and in the time they'd gotten to know each other more, he had come to realize that underneath her cheerful, sometimes spunky demeanor lied the irresistible kindness and sincerity of her heart. In the same token, he became more comfortable sharing less of the hardcore jokester and more of his 'I have feelings too' side. While she did not have the same access as Rose into the depths of his secrets, he at least felt confident in saying he can go to her with just about anything, free of judgement.

As a gradual smile crossed Spike's face, he responded saying "As long as you stay my Seuce tha goose."

One would think that such a sentimental moment would end in a tearful embrace of some nature, but such was not the case. Both staring into each other's eyes, the seriousness of the moment didn't last, for Spike's smile caused Susie to curl a smile of her own, and not long after that smile, the strong desire to laugh shook them.

Sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying.

* * *

"Momma, can I have a cookie?!" ten-year-old Atatiana, a young fairy with penny-brown skin, tugged at her mother's nursing gown sleeve, black hair braided back into a single butterfly-braid with big pleading maya-blue eyes.

"You know you can't have sugar when it gets too late." Sandra, a cinnamon-brown fairy, told her youngest child, as she flipped through the channels of cable television, sporting seafoam-green curls down to her shoulders as she looked down to her daughter with matching orbs.

Tanisha, Sandra's fourteen-year-old high schooler with skin like cocoa, flew into the din where her mother and baby sister sat on the couch, scarlet eyes matching her hair styled in micro braids. "Momma, can I go over Tamir's house?"

Sandra turned to her eldest with disapproval. "Girl it's after 11:00pm; what business you got goin' over some lil' boy's house?"

"Ew, you always doin' somethin' wit some boy!" Charleena, older identical twin sister of Atatiana, teased her older sister as she flew to stand beside Tanisha. Her maya-blue eyes popped against her pecan-brown skin with maya-blue braids cornrow braids down past her back.

"Girl, stay out my business!" Tanisha flicked her sister in the head, causing her to groan in pain.

"Tanisha, leave your sister alone!" After working two double shifts, Sandra was in no mood to deal with her children's bickering. "And the answer is no!"

"But momma he asked me to come over!"

"So? Even if I _did_ allow you out, which I'm not, you're past your weekend curfew anyway!" Sandra met her daughter with a fierce glare. "My word is final, ya hear?!"

Tanisha smacked her lips, rolling her eyes as she stormed passed a snickering Charleena to her bedroom down the hall. "This ain't far!"

"Life ain't fair!" Sandra yelled after her before she yelled to her youngest. "And you, little miss, bettah put that cookie back!"

"Dang!" Atatiana thought she was slick sneaking into the kitchen to the cookie jar above the fridge. She should have known; her mother was always watching, even when she wasn't in the same room.

"That's what you get!" Charleena directed her taunts to her younger twin, sticking out her tongue.

"Shut up, ugly!" Atatiana shot back, crossing her arms in a huff.

"You should look in tha' mirror!" Charleena argued back mockingly.

"I am… _twin_!"

"You ugly!"

"No, _you_ ugly!"

"Both of y'all get y'all little ugly butts to bed!" Sandra commanded, a stern finger pointed towards the hallway.

Unfazed by the whines of her daughters as they flew out the din, Sandra let out a groan of frustration. She hated yelling at her kids, but sometimes they pushed one too many buttons for her already thinning tolerance. After tending to multiple ailing patients both young and old, from battling an illness to suffering severe injuries, the last thing she needed was three daughters testing her patience.

As if it couldn't get any worse, she heard her phone ringing on the coffee table before her. An unsaved number appeared in her caller ID, thinking it was another one of those stupid telemarketers. Sometimes she'd ignore the call, and other times she'd answer and do everything to piss them off. She was in one of those moods to piss them off, so she decided to answer. "No, I don't have no money."

"I'm not lookin' for money, ma'am." the low baritone voice responded, an unfamiliar response if he were an actual telemarketer. "I'm lookin' for a Ms. Sandra Garner."

"Yeah, that's me." Sandra spoke defensively. "And just who the hell are you?"

"Does a Breonna Floyd ring a bell?"

Sandra side-eyed her phone; that voice sounded way too masculine to be female. "No, it don't."

"Well, I'm her husband, Ahmaud Floyd."

"…and?"

"Weren't you the nurse to watch over our newborn son?"

Sandra scrunched her brow. She'd only recently become a nurse, maybe two or three years ago. Even in her little experience, no patient or any family member of said patient, ever contacted her outside of the hospital. Sandra suddenly froze; the memory of the last name Floyd from just under twenty years ago resurfaced sharply in her mind, replacing her agitation with anxiety. "…W-What are you talkin' about?!"

"Did you or did you not watch over our newborn son?" Ahmaud repeated, less polite in his approach.

"How did you even get my number?!"

"Yes or no, Ms. Garner."

"Okay, yes!" she reluctantly answered, still thrown as to what was happening. "I did, but what that go to do wit' yo-"

Without another word or a chance for Sandra to respond, the line disconnected.

**. . . . . .**

After clocking out for the night, Thornton left the Diner and headed to his motorcycle just two spaces from the entrance. He was about to put on his helmet when he felt in phone buzzing in his pocket, taking it out to see his mother was calling. "Hey, ma." Thornton greeted, leaning against his motorcycle. "Wussup?"

"Thornton, has anybody named Ahmaud Floyd ever spoken to you?!"

Hearing the edginess in her voice, Thornton wondered whether it was a good idea to give out her phone number without her permission. "Uh, yeah…he told me he knew you from high school and wanted to get back in touch with you." He scratched his hair with a nervous finger. "I'm sorry; I won't give out your number like that again."

"I don't care about that, boy!" Sandra attempted to mask how scared she was, not just for her life, but for her son's. "If you see him again, don't speak to him, ya hear?! Ion care _what_ he tells you, just ignore him and walk away!"

"Ma, why you buggin'?" Thornton shrugged it off. "Ahmaud is one of hundreds of thousands of fairies; unless he comes around the Diner again, I probably won't see 'em."

"…wait." Sandra paused. "You said he came around where?!"

"…the Diner." Thornton repeated slowly. "It's how I met 'em." He heard what sounded like his mother murmuring something under her breath that he couldn't make out. "…Ma?"

"…Thornton, I need you to promise me you won't speak to him again. Or his wife."

Her serious tone made it clear something was off. "Ma, will you relax-"

"Promise me, Thornton!"

"Aight, I promise!" Thornton swore, obeying his mother's wishes. "I won't speak to them."

"Good…" he heard his mother's heavy sigh. "…thank you, baby."

"Mmhm."

They exchanged goodbyes before his mother hung up, and Thornton found himself puzzled with more questions than answers.

* * *

Blonda floated down Libra Hall to her dorm room, unable to shake her internalized conflict. As demoralizing as it was to lay down with Professor Cardician, knowing he was still married and knowing his wife was battling a horrible illness, she loved the way he made her feel, loved the way he touched her, the way he kissed her…the many ways he pleased her. The pleasure of his love breathed air into her lungs, such relief after drowning in the waves of self-hatred and despair for weeks.

Her angel criticized her giving into the moment of weakness. To open her legs for a man so tarnished and tainted to sleep with another woman, still bounded by the legal and moral binds of marriage…how low she has stooped. Her devil advocated her desire, for following her heart, getting the sexual tension out of her system. He made her feel what no other man has ever made her feel before, a rare goldmine that should not be taken lightly.

The door of her dorm looming as she hovered near, she remembered that the triplets would be inside, probably curious as to where she's been; she could only imagine what would happen if they found out what she did…

"Ew, can you be _lieve_ this?" Sapphire scrunched her nose at the magazine article in her hand, hanging out with her sisters atop Ruby's scarlet comforter. "Billy Crystal Ball and that Mardona chick are _dating_!"

"Capital G-ross!" Amethyst disapproved. "Aren't they like, lightyears apart in age?!"

"He grosses me out, to be honest." Ruby complained. "It's the creepiness for me."

"It's the fact that people in Fairywood seem to think this is all fine and dandy for me!" Sapphire added, closing the magazine to sit it beside her. "Like, does anyone _not_ approve of this?!"

The triplets heard the twist of a doorknob, followed by the creak of a door as Blonda entered inside. "Hey, girl…" Ruby greeted questioningly, noting the subtle swoon in Blonda's eyes.

"Hey…" Blonda attempted to hide any indication of the 'after sex glow.'

An attempt that quickly turned futile.

"Where've you been?" Sapphire inquired, assuming something happened for Blonda to be MIA for hours on end.

All six eyes directly in her path, Blonda felt as if she were put under trial. At that point, where there any reason to lie? They knew her well enough to know when she was. Exhaling defeatedly, she decided to just go ahead and rip off the band-aid. Better it be now than later… "Um…" she shied away briefly before meeting their suspicious stares, holding her hands behind her back. "…Professor and I…had sex."

All the years she's known the triplets, practically growing up with them, never were they as furious and disappointed with her than in that very moment.

"Are you _kidding_ me?!" Ruby was the first to shoot from her seat on the bed, her glare peering into Blonda's guilty soul. "After _everything_ that's happened, you go back to that _snake_?!"

"I didn't mean for it to happen!" Blonda tried to explain, hoping they would be sensible enough to hear her reasoning, even if not a very good one. "I was just minding my own business when he came up to me in his car and wouldn't drive away until I got in with him, and we were talking and one thing led to another-"

"So you went back to being his mistress?!" Sapphire criticized, joining her sister in their interrogation. "What the hell, Blonda!"

"It just _happened_ , okay?!" Blonda argued, folding under the pressure of their harsh judgements. "I had _no_ intensions on interacting with him let alone sleeping with him!"

"Yet you still slept with him!" Amethyst countered, sitting up to cross her arms against her chest.

Blonda felt so inadequate, any defenses she had grounded into dust. "It…i-it's not that easy walking away!"

"It was so easy for you to walk away from a loser like Treveston!" Ruby sourly contested. "Now all of the sudden you have no self-respect?!"

"Treveston isn't in the same _league_ as Pantaleo!" Blonda refuted. "Pantaleo is just different!"

Shaking her head in utter dissatisfaction, Ruby hovered gradually to where she was inches away from her, baby blue eyes almost red in anger. "You haven't learned a _damn_ thing! And you think we're just gonna sit back like this shit is okay?!"

"I know it's not okay, okay?!" Blonda cried, shame watering her eyes. "I caved, but it won't happen again!"

"At this point we just can't help you…" Amethyst muttered, raising from her seat. "…which is why we can't do this anymore."

As if the daggers in Blonda's soul weren't deep enough. "…w-what do you mean?"

"We're done!" Sapphire bitterly clarified. "We can't keep riding this rollercoaster with you!"

Color washed from her face, Blonda's eyes widened as tears brimmed in her lashes. "…are you seriously throwing away a whole decade of friendship?! Right now?!" she felt sobs quiver in her lungs, her heart breaking in a way she never experienced before. "…m-my daddy ignores me for his money or his booze…my mamma's gone…a-and I have no other family other than the uncles that barely wanna talk to me!" She couldn't hold back her droplets of pain from falling. "…w-we're supposed to be family!" All the grief she felt morphed into frustration. "How could you _do_ this to me?!"

"Girl, at this point…" Ruby felt no sympathy for her tears. She practically brought it on herself. "…you make it _real_ hard to feel sorry for you."

"Maybe one day you'll finally learn…" Sapphire made her way to float in front of Blonda, emphasizing her point before flying past her to the door. "But we won't be around to see it."

Shoulders shaking, overwhelmed from everything, Blonda reached a palm to her eyes, catching some of her tears.

"We'll at least keep our word and not tell anyone about you and Professor Cock-a-doodle…" Amethyst too floated passed Blonda, eyeing her up and down in repugnance as she spat. "…we don't wanna embarrass you more than you embarrass yourself."

Darting to her desk, Ruby snatched her dorm keys, watching Blonda's silent cries as she tried to keep hers inside. Every part of her hated making her cry…she out of the triplets being the closest to Blonda. Sharing so many common interests, they were supposed to take over Fairywood together. She truly wanted to see good things come Blonda's way, and deep down, she knew she wouldn't stop caring about her. But there comes a point where someone has to learn their own lessons, and some can't learn except the hard way…

You can only help someone but so much, and if they don't listen the first, second, third, or even fourth time, purposely making the same mistakes repeatedly, it's efforts wasted, and you'll be doing yourself a favor by refusing to spin in the same circle of someone else's mistakes.

"…I'll be glad when the semester's over…"

Blonda veered her glossy eyes to Ruby, her gashes deepened from her words.

Glare in her stare, Ruby slowly hovered passed Blonda as she muttered. "…that way I won't have to keep living in your shitstorm…"

Following her sisters, Ruby left out the room after Sapphire opened the door, and with a slamming exit, Blonda shut her eyes as her emotions burst into hitched sobs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't think of a fairy version of dementia so I just went with the regular.  
> Side note: Atatiana, Tanisha, Charleena, and Sandra Garner, along with Breonna and Ahmaud Floyd, are named after the African-American women and men unjustifiably murdered by the hands of police and/or white supremist. Since I'm basing Thornton off a fairy with more "Afrocentric" features, I figured I'd pay homage to them in that way.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may or may not have lost my entire mind writing this chapter.

Alewandro lounged with his back against his pillow by the bedpost, flipping the page to a fictional anti-fairy novel across his lap. His body longed for sleep… lately it was difficult falling asleep and/or staying asleep, so he figured he'd try reading a book with no music in the background, possibly helping his brain relax for an afternoon nap.

Hearing Reggaeton blaring from his phone, Alewandro saw Juanita's number across his screen. His relationship with his sister, though not exactly strained, hadn't been the same since his confrontation with Juandissimo. She usually wasn't the one to reach out first, he'd always be the one reaching out to her. Today must have been the rare occurrence that she felt like remembering she had more than one brother…

Wondering what she had to talk about, he picked up and held the phone to his ear. "Hola."

"Hola…"

Her tone seemed more drab than usual, something he wouldn't be worried about if it weren't for her normally optimistic character. "¿Qué pasa?"

"…have you heard from Juandissimo?"

Alewandro rolled his eyes; of _course_ , she'd want to talk about him. "Considering we are still not speaking, no I have not."

"…I do not know what to do."

"About him?"

"Yeah…" Juanita sighed dreadfully. "…he has been saying disturbing things…"

"Like?"

"Like how…he should be dead instead of mamá..."

"Juanita, you know that is just him play 'woe is me' again." Alewandro scoffed, almost dismissive to his sister's concern. "Do not think too much of it."

"Alewandro, I have not heard him speak like that in a long time…" Juanita solemnly expressed. "…not since right after our mamá died."

"Do not worry yourself sick over it, Juanita." Alewandro stated matter-of-factly. "If he was serious, he would have done something by now."

"…do you hear what just came out of your mouth?!" Juanita never knew her brother could be so careless. "I cannot believe you would say that!"

"You are worry and stressing over someone who probably does not worry about you." Alewandro spoke his true opinion. "When was the last time he has ever asked how _you_ were doing? When was the last time he cared about _your_ problems instead of moping over his?!"

She didn't answer him right away, indicating to him that she knew he had a point. "…That does not matter." Juanita replied, sadness in her voice. "Juandissimo is still mi hermano."

"A selfish hermano, at that." Alewandro commented. "Meanwhile, I call you and text you, and I ask about what is going on in your life and how you are feeling because I actually care, yet you do not always wish to speak to me."

"I am sorry, Alewandro…" her dropped dangerously low. "…it is difficult for me to see you in the same way."

He sensed some disdain, something he was under the impression that it was no longer a factor in their relationship. "…Juanita-"

"Do you not see what you have done to him?!"

"Oh, so it is _my_ fault he cannot get his own head out of his culo?!"

"Mamá y papá can tell he has not been himself, and it has gotten to the point where we cannot reach him!"

" _He_ has pushed _all_ of us out! If he wanted our help, he would not treat us like this!"

"Placing the sole blame on him for the death of our mamá _made_ him this way!"

"Then let him stay that way if he wants to stay a victim!"

"¡¿Por qué eres tan despiadado?!"

"¡¿Por qué eres tan estúpida?!"

Regret filled his heart just as soon as those words came from his mouth.

His intention was not to argue with his sister. He already had a falling out with one sibling…he didn't need a falling out with both.

The moment the line disconnected, he wished he hadn't let it go so far…

* * *

Cupid's features fell upon the sight of a broken Blonda, crying in her palms alone on a bench just outside of Libra Hall.

When she called him a few minutes earlier, he could hardly understand through the blubbering sobs, yet from the overwhelming sense of betrayal, he knew it had to something to do with the Gemstone triplets. The little he did make out from her bawling, they basically deserted Blonda and hadn't spoken to her since before Ruby came back in the early morning just to take a few personal items to go home with her sisters for the weekend, and Blonda spent majority of the day bawling her eyes out. What Cupid couldn't understand was why would they do that to someone they always claimed to be their 'quadruplet'? How could they just leave their best friend of ten years like roadkill on the side of the road?!

To announce his presence, Cupid gently sat beside her, pulling her by the sleeve of her dress to bring her closer. Looking up from her palms briefly to realize who it was, Blonda slumped into his shoulder in rivets of tears, allowing his arms to blanket her. They stayed in that position long enough for Blonda's cries to reduce to mere sniffles, and while Cupid nestled his lip in her flaxen curls, she blinked tears brimming and held his arms close to her with her own. "…thank you for not deserting me…"

Her whimper tugged at yet another string in his heart. "I'd never desert you…" he lifted his chin enough for his promise to be heard clearly.

"…am I stupid for sleeping with him?"

"I wouldn't necessarily say you are specifically." Cupid clarified. "The act itself? Definitely."

She closed her eyes as another sob hitched her chest. "…I-I never thought…" her throat tightened in short intakes of breath. "my best friends would do this to me…"

"I know, princess." Cupid soothed, feeling inclined to kiss the top of her forehead. "I know…"

"…w-we've gone through e-everything together…" Blonda dejectedly continued. "…t-they were…my s-sisters…w-when mine started hating me…" her sleeve wiped the snot from her nose, staring to the concrete beneath them. "…a-and they just…a-abandoned me…"

"I know, and I'm so sorry…" he had to bite back his own sadness, trying to ignore the heaviness in his heart. "…I wish I could change their minds, but I know I can't."

Remorse trembling in her lip, she wiped her eyes as more watered regret fell. "…why did I sleep with him…"

"You know why, Blonda." he leaned over for a better view of her tear-stained face. "It's because you still love him."

"…but why?" she asked as more of a criticism towards herself. "I shouldn't…"

"But you do." he was careful in keeping his tone calm; she was far too fragile for any reprimanding she already didn't do internally. "You can't just shut off feelings like that."

As much as she hated it, Cupid was right. Love was something she never actually experienced before, and now that she had, it was hardly impossible for her to flip the switch. Yes, she hated Pantaleo. Yes, she hated the way he lied to her. Hated the heartless act of cheating on his ailing wife while claiming it as true love. But she had fallen in love. Regardless if there had always been someone else, he made her feel like he was hers and hers alone.

When sniffles muffled to silent tears, Blonda straightened her posture, indicating to Cupid that she didn't want to be held anymore, and he obliged by releasing her as she propped her elbows and rested her chin on her hands. "…I'm such a mess…"

His features fell, wishing there was something he could do to help her, or at least help her feel a bit better…

Turning to her with a sudden idea in mind, Cupid mustered a smile out of context she couldn't understand, not until he added "Let's go clubbing."

"…are you serious?" she wiped her sniff once more with her sleeve.

"You don't think I would have offered if I didn't want to…" his smile grew more amused. " _Do_ you, silly?"

"…b-but I look like a mess!" Blonda complained, motioning to the running mascara down her watered-down makeup. "I can't go out like this!"

"That's what magic's for, princess." Cupid rose from his seat, offering his hand to help her up. "Now c'mon. Nothing you say will change my mind."

Blonda, too emotionally drained to argue, took his hand in hers and allowed him to pull her from her slump. Thinking back to how she and Cupid first met, she remembered how helpless and discouraged he was from those bastards that harassed him. It took zero time for him to come out of that shell into the energetic ball of love he is. She'd grown to love how he makes her smile, always checks up on her to see if she's okay. He wanted what's best for her and not just what he thinks is best. She can talk to him about anything, and he's always willing to listen.

How lucky was she to have such a light like Cupid to shine in her darkest hour.

* * *

Darkened hues of violet and magenta ombre coated the sky, pinkened clouds shielding the magical world from the descending burning star. Some students socialized around different seating areas of campus, chatting or listening to music through a small portable radio. Others enjoyed the spring grass, lying within the plush lavender of nature's mattress.

Floating far away from other students, leading towards the tree walls and shrubs of the Enchanted Forest, Wanda kept her eyes peeled to the white lined cement of the near deserted parking lot, Cosmo heavy on her mind. His shutoff behavior worried her the more stress he endured, and not just from the stresses of school.

A few days after the fiasco at the diner, Mr. Wonka hired a new lead server which turned out to be his nephew Snarki. Ever since Snarki came into the picture, Cosmo's life became increasingly more cumbersome than need be. The micromanaging and constant criticizing triggered horrid memories of what he suffered under his mother's roof, and going to Mr. Wonka about it only resulted in him being told to do better so that he wouldn't have to be micromanaged.

Most of their time together comprised of letting him hold her while he either stared off into space or fell asleep from overwork and/or overthinking, often leaving her alone with her own mind. That afternoon when Cosmo called in from work again due to the toll of stress and exhaustion on his psyche, she expressed her growing concern for his well-being, and despite him denying anything was wrong, she asked him if he wanted to talk, really talk, about what all was troubling him. She asked if he wanted to go somewhere more isolated like The Enchanted Forest, though since he was tired, he agreed to meet her after bit of a nap first, seeing as how they were bound to have such a deep conversation. Wanda figured she could at least afford him that; she was just glad he was finally willing to talk to her.

Looking up momentarily, she noticed someone sitting on the curb next to where the floating path of the forest began, recognizing those blue-violet eyes seemingly lost in a world of their own. She paused, hesitant on whether to approach. From the looks of his chin on his knees as he hugged his legs close against him, he didn't look too aware of anyone else around, though she noticed the absence of a peculiar white bottle. Unsure of why he'd come all the way out here, something about his aura bothered her, riddled with a disturbing bleak abyss.

Wanda groaned, fighting the voice telling her to ignore him for Cosmo's sake with the voice of her concern for Juandissimo. What if Cosmo saw her around him again? Probably wouldn't react too kindly. Looking at her phone, she read 7:47pm in digital ink. He agreed to meet her around eight, so she had a few minutes to spare. Would it even be worth it? Juandissimo wanted nothing to do with her, he made that perfectly clear.

Observing him further, she saw him lift his hands to grab his head. He shut his eyes as he lowered his face into his knees, squeezing his head as if he were in some kind of pain. She looked around to see if Cosmo maybe have come early, but with no shamrock green in sight, she turned to Juandissimo. The voice in her head screamed for her to just walk away, to not concern herself with someone who'd only keep pushing her away, but the moral of her compass screamed louder.

Juandissimo couldn't silence the shouting in his mind, couldn't unsee the rage in his father's fists, couldn't stop the tears from falling from his mother's eyes. He couldn't quiet the echo of smacks across her face nor could he calm her cries for mercy. He couldn't stop him from yanking the roots of her hair as she shrieked in pain, and no matter how much he begged for the imageries to stop, he couldn't stop the knife from slicing her throat as she choked her last breath…

"…just stop…" he grunted to himself as flashes of reoccurring images throbbed against his skull…pulsating memory after memory, after memory, after agonizing memory.

_…Alejo squeezed his wife's throat as she pleaded for her life…._

"…stop doing this…" Juandissimo so greatly wanted to be stronger than the anesthesia of Spell. He'd grown tired of the horrible hangovers and the sickness of withdrawal. The sobriety of self soon realized he'd be no better than his sperm donor if he continued down that road…

So he made the choice to try and go without.

_…Alejo ignored her cries as he used one hand to slap her once more…_

The first day proved quite the fight. His body felt heavier than lead and his mind spun in vertigo. It took every ounce of his being not to vomit; he had no appetite, thus nothing to vomit. He made the excuse to Cupid and his professors that he ate something his stomach didn't agree with which resulted in food poisoning, and while that excuse may have worked with some of his professors, it didn't work at all with Cupid.

_…Alejo turned his wand into a knife as she shrieked in agony, yanking her hair…_

Cupid suspected something else wrecked his body, but Juandissimo kept assuring that it was nothing more than food poisoning. The look in Cupid's eyes appeared as if he could see right through his lies, but Cupid had given up his prying ways and simply let him be afterwards. The second, third, and fourth day were easier to handle, but while the physical illnesses diminished, the mental ailments increased.

_…Estrella clawed at his fingers around her hair, tears streaming down her face...she began to panic as the cold of a metal blade pushed against her larynx…_

Flashbacks flashed across his vision more fiercely, more vividly than ever before. They haunted him at every waking moment, wide awake in the same nightmares that kept him awake at night, making it impossible to sleep undisturbed. Tonight, on the fifth night, not only did his migraine continue to crush his brain, the traumas of his mother's death only grew increasingly overwhelming, bringing him to the point of stinging tears.

_…the knife slashed Estrella's throat…and Juanita's horrified screams resonated in a deafening drone…_

"STOP!" he couldn't control his cries for the beautiful life that never deserved to die. "STOP IT!"

"Juandissimo, it's okay!"

The familiarity of her voice shot his glossing eyes to meet the acquainted shade of worried fuchsia, snatching him from his horror into the harshness of reality.

"It's okay, Juandissimo…" Wanda carefully held his stare, reaching out cautiously. "…I know it feels like you're there…" she watchfully placed her hands on his lap when she kneeled to his level, attempting not to startle him further. "…but you're right here, next to the Enchanted Forest, and I'm here with you."

His lungs felt restricted, finding it difficult to breathe with his heart racing wildly against his chest.

"Try to take a deep breath." Wanda gently encouraged, watching his wondering eyes attempt to make sense of it all as he forced his lungs to intake more air. "Can you tell me what you see when you look around?"

Looking around, a haze circled his vision, but he could still pinpoint the clarity of certain objects around him. "…I-I see…" he tried to blink the haze away, attempting to control his breathing. "…I see trees."

"That's good, Juandissimo." She encouraged further, keeping her voice calm to counteract his anxiety. "What else?"

His eyes ventured passed Wanda to scan certain areas of the parking lot, though it was hard to focus through the distortion of his childhood home blending into the scenery. "…streetlamps..."

"What else?"

Everything blurred together, the cement and grass around him oozing a scarlet fluid, pooling in thick puddles. His eyes grew more anxious, his hands trembled to the side of his temples. "…t-there is blood everywhere…"

"Try to stay with me, Juandissimo." Wanda sensed he was regressing back to disassociation, having anticipated the difficulty of keeping him in the now. "Do you see different shrubs next to the trees?"

He searched for what she could be talking about, filtering through the distortion to see the shrubs she mentioned, absent of imaginary blood. Pushing to regain his bearings, his quivering finger pointed to the shrubs next to the forest's entrance. "…t-those?"

"Yes, that's right." Wanda praised; small victories meant big progress. "Do you see anything else?"

He lowered his hands to where they hovered over Wanda's on his lap, stopping himself before they went any further.

"It's okay." She faintly smiled to him, reaching to slowly take his hands into hers which turned his frazzled attention to her. She thought that if he touched something tangible, it could help him return to some kind of normalcy. "What else do you see?"

Blue-violet orbs tried to focus passed what his mind wanted to see versus what was truly there, seeing the cast of streetlamps reflecting against the side of her face, creating a soft glow in her eyes. Often before she broke up with him, he questioned how she'd always been able to keep him so grounded. Seeing her loving features, feeling her tender presence again, reassured the how and why. She was no longer his, but the way in which she always knew exactly how to calm his chaos...in that crucial moment, he wished she still was.

"…I-I see you…" he spoke with uncertainty despite the near certainty that her swirly pink hair curled down her back, a few strands hanging over her shoulders. "…Wanda."

Almost as soon as her name left his mouth, a green-haired fairy used most of his might to tackle Juandissimo to the ground.

"Cosmo!" Wanda called out, her boyfriend rolling on top of Juandissimo before proceeding to throw wild punches with no real aim other than beating whatever surface they could touch. "Cosmo, STOP!"

With Juandissimo using his arms to shield himself, each punch emphasized each word gritted through Cosmo's agitated teeth. "I. Thought. I. Told. You. To stay. Away. From. MY. _GIRLFRIEND_!"

"Cosmo, please!" Wanda hurried to try and pull Cosmo away from Juandissimo, fearing the intensity of the physical altercation could trigger another episode. "Get OFF!"

Managing to yank Cosmo from the ground, Cosmo snatched his arms from her grip, unable to tame the madness raging within. His efforts to keep her away from Juandissimo proved meaningless, because instead of defending her boyfriend from her ex, she was defending her ex from her boyfriend.

That was the final straw that broke the camel's back. "I can't beLIEVE this shit!"

Panicked in place, Wanda slightly shuddered from Cosmo's outburst, not at all prepared to see _that_ Cosmo again.

This Cosmo was wild with wrath…and it scared her.

"And here I am telling this dipshit to stay away from you!" He pointed a stern finger towards her, gradually advancing forward to her in which she instinctively inched away. He saw the fear in her eyes, but the level of livid couldn't bring himself to care. "He was right; I should be telling _you_ to stay away from _him_ , but _I_ didn't think I'd have to DO that with MY girlfriend!"

"It's _NOT_ what it LOOKS like, Cosmo!" Wanda fought to reason, raising her hands in defense. "He was having a hard time and I was just trying to hel-"

"STOP YOUR DAMN _LYING_!"

She jerked again, feeling her tears swelling in her eyes. He hadn't been this angry with her in ages. Actually, that's a lie; she'd never seen him quite _this_ angry towards her. Sheer ire scowling in his green eyes, he was well passed angry...

Shoulders rocking with hitched breaths, Cosmo's mind flooded with echoes of his mother, reminding him of what he feared all this time… _That Fairywinkle's gonna_ dump _you when she realizes what a_ stupid…PATHETIC _excuse of a_ being _you are! She's gonna realize what a_ waste _of_ LIFE _you are, and you'll be left with_ NOTHING!

"I _trusted_ you! How could you _do_ this to me?!"

"I didn't _DO_ anything!" Her voice cracked, pleading that he could just see passed his frustration to understand her side. "I'd _NEVER_ do _ANYTHING_ like that to you! All I was trying to do was help him-"

"For _what_!?"

"How would _YOU_ feel if _YOU_ saw someone your loved one get their throat sliced in half?!" Immediately clasping her hands over her mouth, instant regret coursed through her veins. So caught up in the heat of the moment, she'd forgotten Juandissimo was still within earshot…

Don't think he was supposed to hear that.

Puzzled in bewilderment, his blue-violet eyes glued to his ex as he supported himself to a sitting position on the ground. Never, even when they started dating, did he ever go into detail with her about the visions he saw of his late mother's murder. Never did he even speak the words 'throat' and 'sliced' in the same sentence around her. The only other person he ever told any slither of details was Blonda, and that was because he let it slip. It was Blonda after all, and at the time, he didn't really expect her to care enough to remember anything outside of her and her life.

Noticing his girlfriend's flustered stare, Cosmo turned to his rival of whom held a similar expression, confused as to whether there was more to their relationship than he assumed.

"…Juandissimo…" Wanda removed her hands, aware there was no turning back from that point. "…I can explain."

"How…" Suddenly it became harder for Juandissimo to stay in the present. "…did you know?"

"…your dad." Wanda shamefully admitted. No point in being around the bush now. "The topic of your birth father came up when you weren't around and…he made me promise not to tell you he told me."

Lowering his baffled stare, Juandissimo mustered the will to lift himself into the air. All the random (and not so random) encounters with her, her inability to stop caring so deeply for him, the fact that she wanted to pull him out of one of his most horrific flashbacks at the odd chance that she'd be around to do so…all because she knew. The fact that his father even said anything didn't matter at that point; perhaps if his father never told her…would she really care? Would she even have a reason to?

…was he just some basket case for her to pity?

"…I'm so sorry, Juandissimo." She wasn't sure whether she should apologize.

But her apology fell on deaf ears, for yet another flash of his mother's lifeless eyes haunted him. Battling his sanity, he found enough awareness to pull his wand from his pocket, using his magic to disappear in a blue-violet cloud.

Cosmo returned his glare to his girlfriend, muttering a response. "Instead of apologizing to him…you _should_ be apologizing to me."

Darting her glossing eyes to him, Wanda gripped her hands together against her chest, unsure of how to fix the mess of a situation she found herself in. "…Cosmo, I-"

"You still love him, don't you."

"Cosmo, like I keep telling you, NO I don't love him!"

"You must love him…" Cosmo shook his head in denial, balling his fists to restrain his urge to punch anything and everything in his wake. "Cuz that's the _only_ thing that explains why you still care about him!"

Allowing her tears to fall, Wanda's expression turned irritated. If Cosmo wanted to act like the jealous boyfriend, she might as well hear why he'd have any need to be. "Well since you seem to have everything alllllllllll figured out, explain to me _why_ I broke up with him if I still loved him that way?!"

_Was it not her that moved on with that boy so soon after you two broke up?! You_ really _think that Fairywinkle would still break up with that other boy if you succeeded?_

An angered quiver rattling his fists, Cosmo held his glare with an eerily calm mutter. "…because if I wasn't such a dumb screw up who can't even kill himself right…you'd still be with him."

Eyes wide in disbelief, Wanda's expression softened. "…Cosmo-"

"I get it…" he averted his eyes, ashamed of his tears threatening to fall. "…I could never be a man like him."

"No…" Making sure to stay tender in her approach, she flew to him slowly, reaching out a hand to take one of his shuttering fists. "…Cosmo, you…you've got it all wrong."

"STOP!"

He yanked his hand away just as soon as she brushed it, droplets of frustration now flowing freely from their cage. She could see the hurt behind his glower, she could hear just how broken he was in the quaking of his voice.

"…don't talk to me."

"Cosmo, we came here to talk in the first place…" she gently reminded, masking her own pain.

"I need…" him backing away poured more salt in her gashing wounds. "…I need space to think."

"…babe-"

"I can't…" he sniffed as he pulled his wand from his back pocket. "…I just can't-"

"Cosmo, please!" Wanda hovered close enough to grip both wrists, pleading for his mercy with her eyes fixed to his.

Bothering not to wipe his flowing tears, Cosmo's tone grew cold, freezing in resentment. "Be honest. Do you love him?"

Four words never felt so difficult to answer, a simple yes or no question wherein the answer should be obvious. But Wanda would be lying, to him and to herself, if she was not truthful of the stance she took when she broke up with Juandissimo. "…I do."

The glass of his heart completely shattered, shards of betrayal crashing to the depths of his torment.

"…but as a friend."

Her clarification unstiffened his glare into a pitiful stare, a small glimmer of the Cosmo she remembered seeping through…the Cosmo that longed for her, that longed for her love.

"I'm _in_ love with _you_ , babe!" she clasped onto his shoulders, shaking some sense into him. "That's why I broke up with him, and that's why I'm _never_ going back to him. You can't be in a relationship with someone you're not in love with. That's not how it works…"

Staring into his eyes, she wondered if he understood, if he truly comprehended her truth. Just over a year ago, she thought she'd lost him forever. If he ceased to exist, then so would she. He was her Cosmo…the love of her fricking life! They lost so much just to be where they are today, how could he question her loyalty to him?!

Staring into her eyes, he questioned whether any of what uttered from her lips was just another lie to 'spare his feelings.' She said she loved, yet she doesn't? How can you love and not love someone at the same time? Either you love them or you don't. That's how he always understood love to be, which is why he couldn't stand back and ignore his love for her, why he gathered the strength to fight for her love back.

And so his brows scrunched firmly, coming to the realization…that in order to be the man Wanda needed him to be, she needed to make room for him. He forced himself away from her grasp much to her discontent, raising his wand once more. "…then until you don't love him at all…stop pretending to love me."

A wave of emotion washed over her; she couldn't believe this was happening. "…Cosmo don't…"

"I love you, Wanda! I'll _never_ stop loving you, with everything _in_ me, with everything _of_ me..." Cosmo kept his voice leveled despite muffling sobs. "...but I need _all_ of you, I _want_ all of you…or nothing at all."

"You _have_ all of me!" Wanda cried. "Cosmo, _why_ can't you see that!?"

"…Because I don't have all of you." came his simple reply. "Not when part of you is still with him."

Not long after, he vanished into thin air, and Wanda wrapped her arms around herself, shutting her eyes from the burn of her flowing remorse.

* * *

Spotlights lit the red-carpet pathway leading to the large glass double doors of Magic Mirror Nightclub framed with wide rainbow florescent lights bordering the two-way mirrors against silver brick walls. Iridescent lighting of giant tubes of black lights lined vertically against the concrete walls tiled with two-way mirrors inside, many guests occupying the bar lounge area on stools shaped as crowns in front of the black marble bar in front of a wall of alcohol, as well as the circled booths for more comfortable seating. The booming base of Electronica blared through club speakers stacked on top of the other, fairies living their best lives just as any other Saturday Night.

Sighing heavily, Blonda rose her glass of rum and coke to her lips with Cupid sitting beside her on the other side of the circle booth. Cupid, dolled up in a sleeveless white crop decorated with blush-pink hearts to compliment his diaper, scrunched his face from the bitter burn of his shot of white whiskey as he set his glass down, looking over to Blonda glammed in a turquoise crop with a white mini pencil skirt barely below her panty line. Hours into their night of delight, and he noticed Blonda hadn't said a word the entire time, unusual from the conversationalist he got to know her to be. He saw no light in her eyes, only darkness…

The DJ of the night switched the atmosphere from two-four beats of Electronica to the pounding 808 kicks of Flex Dance Music, gaining satisfied cheers from the crowd gathered around the mixing booth. Blonda lowered her sullen gaze, folding her arms over her chest, and Cupid turned to her, leaning in to ensure they could hear each other. "You alright, sis?"

"I shouldn't be here…" Blonda turned to watch other clubbers gyrate around each other, wishing she felt as carefree as they did. "…I'm just ruining the mood."

"Girl, you're not ruining no one else's mood but your own." Cupid pointed out. "Wanna talk s'more?"

"Not really…" Blonda looked away.

Snapping his fingers for her to look at him, Cupid, keeping her shattered spirit in mind, needed to get through to her. "The whole reason we're here is to take you mind off things."

"I'm sorry, Cupid…" Blonda apologized, knowing how much of a burden she was. "I just…don't know what to do."

"You can either talk it up or drink it down."

She stared at him puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean." Cupid raised his brow, emphasizing his point. "We can keep talking about it until you have no feelings to speak of, or you can do what we came here to do and utilize the power of liquid intoxication to say 'screw it' and 'screw them.'" Reaching for his leftover glass of his orange screwdriver, he kept eye contact with Blonda as his lips took a sip through the thin black straw, leaning casually against the booth's backrest. "Your choice, not mine."

If it weren't for her own father abusing liquor to mask his own pain, she wouldn't hesitate. Just a year prior, she drank to the state of near blackout wherein her ability to make informed decisions depleted into careless, drunken sexual endeavors with a boy who wanted nothing but, and thinking back to how she too at one point turned to alcohol to drown the grief of losing her mother made her question whether she had any right to judge her father. However, Cupid's intensions were not ill, and she knew this. He only wanted her to free her mind of everything weighing her down, and sometimes alcohol could do just that.

Considering his words, Blonda rose from her seat to face Cupid. "Wanna go buy more shots?"

"Shots are on me!" Cupid scooted to the edge of the booth to join Blonda, glad to see Blonda at least attempt to consider. "And let's go dark this time; I hate light liquor!"

"Fine." Blonda chuckled faintly. "But I chose what dark we get."

"Say less!"

Taking her by the hand, Cupid eagerly led Blonda through the crowd to the bar, preparing to get Blonda as drunk as possible; they planned on taking a cab back to campus anyway.

**. . . . . .**

Heavily tipsy and too tired to dig for his dorm keys, Cupid used his wand to unlock the door.

Throughout the night, he and Blonda spent the night sitting at the bar, drinking and poking fun at all the clubbers wasted beyond repair acting a plum fool. His objective was to get her to laugh, crack a smile even, and after three rounds of bourbon, the two of them numbed themselves to where the tiniest incident sent them both into uncontrollable fits of laughter. He loved seeing her more vibrant personality, something he knew to be inside somewhere underneath her self-pity. Shame that had to be surfaced through drunken stupors but, at least he saw her smile again.

He attempted to be quiet as he entered the room dimly lit by the moonlight shining through the blinds, thinking Juandissimo would be asleep. To his surprise, Juandissimo sat on the side of his bed, bent over his lap with his hands covering his face, leading Cupid curious as to why Juandissimo would be awake in the dark at three in the morning.

"Hmph, you're still up." Cupid used his comment to announce his return, reaching for his keys just to toss them on his desk. He also set his wand on his desk along with his phone, turning on his desk lamp to see better. He would have asked to turn on his lamp, but since Juandissimo had his eyes covered anyway, he figured it wouldn't bother him too much.

At least, he thought Juandissimo's eyes were still covered.

He looked over his shoulder momentarily, and in that moment, his heart softened and the haze in his mind sobered. His eyes met Juandissimo's, glossed and reddened from tears already shed. Hands palmed together over his mouth, more tears fell from his eyes, shutting them briefly as he stifled a sob.

"…Juan…" Cupid was tender in his approach, kneeling down to his level. Feeling so much turmoil in Juandissimo's aura, he felt more tormented rocks crushing his soul stone by stone. "…what's wrong?"

Juandissimo looked away, allowing the tears he desperately wanted to hide fall freely down his cheek damp from his sorrow.

"…please?" Cupid gently probed, resting a consoling hand onto Juandissimo's bouncing knee. "You can talk to me…"

Cupid observed him closely, noting how his expressionless gaze tried to mask the raging river inside. To say he hadn't noticed the worsening of Juandissimo's depression would be a lie. To say he hadn't been awakened sometimes in the middle of the night to soft whimpers coming from the other side of the room would also be a lie. He knew something was wrong, he could always tell when something is wrong, but he never wanted to overstep his boundaries from how he learned Juandissimo to be. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't try this hard to pry, even though it would kill him not to do so. Tonight felt too different to ignore.

"…I cannot get them out…" came Juandissimo's muffled response through his hands.

Cupid didn't quite understand, speaking quietly. "What are you saying?"

Removing his hands to his head, gripping his temples as if they pulsed in pain, his eyes diverted to the ground, crying just above a murmur. "…I-I cannot get the nightmares…out of my head…"

He lowered his head as more tears streamed from his eyes, shutting them in his shame. How weak was he, sobbing like some wimp in front of the god of love. He felt so pitiful, completely pathetic. Just like with what happened with Wanda, he must look like he's lost all of his marbles and needed some kind of "saving"…embarrassing.

"…Juan, please don't cry…" Even though Cupid knew this to be impossible at this point; he almost wanted to cry himself just from the weight of abyss sinking Juandissimo's heart. Geez, he didn't expect both of his friends to be so deep in the dumps…

After another stifled sob, Juandissimo opened his eyes brimming hot tears, though he didn't meet Cupid's worried stare. He couldn't mask the tremble in his whimper as he gravely uttered "…maybe they would stop if my heart did…"

"Juandissimo, don't say that!" Cupid clenched Juandissimo by the wrist, forcing him to make eye contact. He felt his own eyes begin to gloss, pained to see someone he deeply cared for harboring so much misery. "Can't you see how much people actually care about you? How much you're loved?!"

If only he could believe that for himself.

"You wanna be a godparent, right?" Cupid recalled, trying to speak some kind of sense into his friend. "Didn't you tell me you wanna help one of the many miserable children on earth?! Don't you still want that gratification for yourself?!"

Juandissimo's eyes winced as if pinched, thinking back to the day they first met at the library and how Cupid felt curious enough to ask why he studied to become a godparent. Without too much detail, he explained how a fairy's magic can help to bring back a child's stolen innocence. He wanted to help children not feel the way he did at times…even though their memories would fade once they aged out of their godparents, they would still be free of any misery in their childhood…

His heart saddened at the thought. How can he mend someone else's broken soul when he could barely keep his from falling apart?

"Please Juan…you have a purpose!" Cupid continued, wanting so desperately to get through to him. "Think about your parents! Think about Juanita! Hell, even Alewandro still loves you deep down!"

Furrowing his brow after hearing a name he never wanted to hear again, Juandissimo's blue-violet orbs stared through silent tears. "…all I do is cause pain…everyone would be better off." He freed his wrists from Cupid's grasp, ice in his gaze. "…even you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep. I've lost my entire mind. This is fine. Totally fine. (O_o)


	19. Chapter 19

Seated in a ball in his desk chair, Cupid's mind replayed the events of just hours ago. He tried to process what he felt, though his emotions were all over the place.

After hearing words he never thought he'd hear Juandissimo say, he had continued to watch him before Juandissimo laid his head on his pillow as his tears continued to fall. Cupid sat next to him and brush his widow's peak with a tender hand; he could tell the only reason Juandissimo allowed it was because he was too tired to object, but he appreciated not being shunned. At some point, Juandissimo had fallen sleep, and by throwing his bed covers over his shoulders, Cupid tucked him in.

Cupid's body rocked with a yawn, wiping the deprivation from his eyes. He had not gone to bed since his return from clubbing…worry and guilt kept him awake.

Blue eyes locked on his sleeping roommate, his soul felt so shattered, more than anything he ever experienced before. If he was honest, he was scared. Scared that Juandissimo could really hurt himself more than he had already. Cupid saw the signs and cursed himself for not acting sooner. Maybe if he did, Juandissimo would not have stooped to such lows. He could have been a better friend…the whole point in befriending Juandissimo was to shine light in his darkness. He was always alone and hardly spoke to anyone else. Regardless of how often he pushed others away, he could tell Juandissimo was suffering, it's why he acted the way he did, and yet he did nothing, allowing the self-destruction to continue.

Cupid could never forgive himself if Juandissimo took his own life, knowing he or someone else can prevent such from happening. The career of a godparent holds high demand and even higher honor. Juandissimo had an important purpose, a purpose too vital for the faint of heart…yet he is too blinded by darkness to see.

Seeing the current time of 6:05am, Cupid forced himself out of his seat, dusting off his diaper. Might as well go get some coffee since he can't sleep. Taking his wand, he used a bit of his magic to poof outside of Leo Hall, floating the rest of the way to Starbizzies connected to the student library.

A gray overcast diffused the light of the early-morning sun, sheets of heavy clouds threatening rain. Cupid used his magic to materialize an umbrella in the event it started raining on his journey. Despite breathing humid, still air, he enjoyed the quiet, something he'd normally wouldn't find so enjoyable.

"You're up early."

He turned to the voice he recognized behind him, halting his flight. "So are you, princess." Cupid tiredly returned, waiting for Blonda to catch up to him. "Why's that?"

"The same reason you're up." Blonda scoffed, clothed in the same tube top and pencil skirt she wore to the club.

Cupid saw redness evident in her eyes. "…can't sleep?"

"Nope." Blonda circled her arms around herself, following alongside Cupid on his path. "What's got you so restless?"

Eyes cast downwards, Cupid rubbed his forearm with his free hand. "…I have this friend." he began, keeping some details vague. "He's been having a rough time, and I think he might hurt himself."

"Really?" Blonda was more curious than nosy. "Who?"

"…y-you don't know him." Cupid lied. Blonda did not think highly of Juandissimo; if she knew he was referring to him, she'd probably jump for joy.

"…okay." Blonda sensed Cupid's deceit, aware that he wasn't very good at lying. Alas, she wasn't in a mood to care that much. "So, why do you think that?"

"…he's been really depressed lately." Cupid explained. "And last night he basically told me he thinks everyone would be better off if he were dead…" He met Blonda's gaze, hoping she might have some advice. "I don't know who to go to about it."

Blonda shrugged. "Well, you gotta go to somebody. It's not exactly normal for fairies to wanna die."

"But I don't think he'd want the help." Cupid hesitated. "He barely talks to me; I dunno if he'd be very willing."

"It doesn't matter what he wants." Blonda spoke bluntly while keeping her tone polite. "At this point, he clearly needs help."

Cupid sighed. "You're right…" he paused in consideration. "…you kinda sound like you're speaking from experience."

"Honestly…" Blonda averted his eyes. "I'm right there with him."

He blinked in surprise. "You mean wanting to die?"

"Not really," Blonda clarified. She tightened her arms around her, memories of what transpired just over the last 24 hours. "…I don't wanna kill myself or anything drastic like that…but I'd be lying if I said I didn't question why I didn't die in that car crash instead of my mom…"

"Oh my goodness…" Cupid held a remorseful hand over his heart. "I'm so sorry, Blonda."

"Don't be." Blonda turned to him with weary features. "I'm just glad you didn't judge me."

"Me? Judge _you_?" Cupid scoffed. "I could never! You're my bestie."

Regardless of her fatigue, Blonda managed to muster a small smile. They say friends like that are hard to come by, and as someone who has been labeled a fake, plastic barbie many times in her life, it felt nice to find someone who took the time to get to know how real she can be.

* * *

Cooped in the dim lighting of Big Daddy's Trash Removal main office, Big Daddy removed his white fedora hat, setting it atop his executive office desk, next to his golden 'Big Daddy' desk plate. Slicking the black silk of his hair with a weary hand, his other hand held his face, closing his eyes against his palm. He and his brothers were in the middle of going over trash collection contract renewals and managing the company budget, and although business must go on, his head hurt, his whole body ached, and thinking straight felt more like a chore, battling his haziness. His body wasn't happy with him; multiple months of overwork and alcohol abuse would take its toll eventually.

"…yo Gouda, you don't looks too good." Piero mentioned, seated in front of Big Daddy on his left.

"And you've been turnin' to tha bottla a lot, lately." Carmine added, seated beside his brother to Big Daddy's right. "More than usual."

"Ion see why it's such a big deal now." Big Daddy muttered, elbows propped against the desk. "Besides…it's one of the only things keepin' me sane through all dis."

"Maybe it's time for a break." Piero stated, aware of the stress his younger brother was under. "Y'know, take some time off."

Big Daddy, one of the most stubborn fairies in all of existence, practically worked himself to the ground. Even he had to admit the amount of stress that came with. He was stressing himself out so much that quenched his thirst with bourbon as if it were water. He hadn't had any that day, not yet at least, still reeling from the effects of last night's intoxication.

"Then who's gonna run tha business?" Big Daddy pointed out. "Ion trust no ones but you two, but competitors will try ta getta one up knowin' I'm gone."

"What about Blonda?" Carmine suggested. "She could do it."

Big Daddy couldn't help but snort. "She don't care 'bout dis business, and she don't seem to care 'bout dis family; all she cares about it that acting dream of hers and the parent 3ft unda the ground."

"Sure she cares." Carmine tried to reason. "You know how she is; if we just get 'er ta focus-"

"You deaf or somethin'?" Big Daddy interrupted, firming his glare. "She don't care 'bout tha family business."

"…well, what about your other daughter?"

If glares could kill, Piero would be pushing up daisies.

"Look, Wanda ain't my first choice neither." Piero rationalized. "But she's got a good head on 'er shouldas. She's smart and a fast learner, somethin' we need to take on tha business."

Feeling a wave of heat wash over him, Big Daddy's lungs hacked a few violent coughs into his fist. "…I'd rather burn this whole damn buildin'…ta nothin' but ashes…" a few move heaves wrecked his chest, leaving his voice hoarse in between muffling his coughs. "…than let that disgrace...ruin what we've worked so hard to build…"

"Well, if we let Guido runnit, he'd burn that whole building' down." Carmine scoffed, referring to his eldest son. "Literally!"

A wash of vertigo crashing into him, Big Daddy groaned turning in his chair, propping his elbows in his lap as he grabbed his spinning head.

Piero and Carmine eyed their brother in concern. "…you alright, Gouda?" Piero asked cautiously.

Big Daddy let out a grunt, clutching his chest tightening from a sharp pain. Racing heartbeats thumped in his ears, the root of the shock centered in his heart. Beads of sweat trickled from his forehead, his lungs straining for air in a panic.

"Gouda, what's wrong?!" Carmine zoomed to the other side of the desk to Big Daddy's aid with Piero doing the same, but it wasn't long before Big Daddy gasped and darkness clouded his vision…

Big Daddy collapsed in a thud.

**. . . . . .**

Almost empty coffee cups left on the round table in front of them, Cupid and Blonda sat across from each other. They blended in the small crowd of fellow students enjoying a fresh cup of joe, occupying one of the tables in the corner of the coffee shop. Four shots of expresso between the two of them gave them just enough energy to not double over in exhaustion.

"I think they can just go in and speak to one of the RAs on duty." Cupid spoke to an operator from the non-emergency line. "They'll be able to tell you where the room is."

Blonda sat with her chin resting on her folded forearms as Cupid provided more information over the phone. Blonda was aware that Cupid's concern about a friend regarded Juandissimo. Cupid had hardly any male friends, so when he mentioned 'him', it didn't take much process of elimination.

Her devilish-self wanted to be glad he's suffering the way he is; he made her suffer without a care in the world how she'd be affected, so why should she care whether he lived or died? If he wanted to die so badly, then he should just get it over with. Then again, her angelic-self held the tiniest compassion; she still remembered his mother's death, and his breakup with Wanda certainly didn't help matters. She wondered whether those and other factors caused a greater impact on his mentals. Dwelling in such a dark place for long periods of time, left untreated…bound to cause a lot of psychological damage.

"Okay, thank you so much." Cupid wished he felt more certain he made the right choice. "Kay, bye."

Disconnecting the call, Cupid looked to Blonda in a hint of indecision. "You sure this'll work?"

"Maybe, maybe not." Blonda wearily shrugged. "When did they say they'd send someone over there?"

"They're sending officers already in the area right now." Cupid responded. "It won't take them long to get here."

Out of nowhere, a tightening sting pinched the left side of Cupid's chest. Wincing from the pain, he looked down to hold a hand to where he detected the mysterious burn. Expresso normally didn't give him any heartburn, though the sharp pain felt like no ordinary heartburn.

"…you okay?" Blonda lifted her eyes from her phone, staring curiously at her troubled friend.

"My chest just started hurting all of the sudden." Cupid rubbed his chest, perplexed to what may have caused the sudden burn. "I have no idea why."

Not even a second later did Blonda's phone vibrate in her hand, the caller ID revealed to be her Uncle Piero. Seldom did either of her uncles call; whatever it was, it must be important enough to remember they had a niece. "…hello?" she answered quizzically.

"Blonda! Ya gotta get to tha hospital!" her uncle urged, upset clear in his voice.

"Why?" dread crawled through her veins, blinking in confusion. "What's wrong?!"

"It's ya fatha', sweetheart…" she heard him groan. "…he's had a heart attack!"

**. . . . . .**

Wanda slowly opened her eyes to Sunday morning glimmers peeping through her half-closed blinds into the dim of the room, dust particles dancing in the thin beams. Rubbing the blur of merely four hours of sleep from her eyes, she saw Susie lay in her bed facing her wall, the faint rise and fall of her shoulders indicating she was still sleeping. Wanda let out a tired sniff as she propped herself to an upright position beneath her duvet, willing herself not to start crying again. She couldn't will herself to return to the room until she was absolutely certain she wouldn't disturb Susie by her bawling her eyes out. Susie had enough going on and Wanda didn't want to add on.

Grabbing her phone from its resting place, she checked to see if Cosmo ever texted her back, only to open her phone to no new messages. Closing her phone and setting it back on the desk beside her bed, she curled her knees to her chest, tucking her head into her knees. It took so much for her not to break down right then and there. Her eyes had cried themselves tired.

The fact that Cosmo blatantly ignored her made the events of the night prior all the more real. Just look at what she's done; if she had just been honest about Juandissimo from the beginning, Cosmo wouldn't be giving her the silent treatment. His mother really did a number on Cosmo's psyche after all, and her affiliation with Juandissimo only made it worse. And who knows if Juandissimo would ever speak to her again. Doubt that'd be a bad thing in this case…the less she saw of him, the more she could forget she ever had feelings for him.

If only it were that easy.

How can she just stop caring about someone she cared deeply for? She couldn't necessarily do that with Cosmo or anyone else. Wanda's compassion was not isolated; if Spike, or Thornton, or even Alewandro suffered in the same manner as Juandissimo, she'd extend a helping hand to them no question. While she understood Cosmo's reasons for singling out Juandissimo, she couldn't understand why he would question her love for him _now_.

She wished she didn't care about Juandissimo as much as she did, but how can Cosmo expect her to just turn that part of her off like a light?

Soon her lungs burned with every strained breath, the beat of her heart rang in her ears, increasing in tempo by the second. Vertigo distorted her surroundings, a dizzying sensation she hadn't felt in a long time…

Willing herself to grab her wand, she poofed herself into a random bathroom stall in one of the community bathrooms. Seated on the ice of porcelain thrown, she noticed the rosette and magenta beaded bracelet she forgot to take off before she surrendered to subtle relief of sleep. Eyes glistening in fresh tears, her thumb brushed the golden heart-key charm dangling from the elastic band of the thoughtful symbol of his love for her, remembering those innocently heartfelt words he spoke when he gifted her this gem.

_"Well…you're the key to my heart, so I wanted to get you something to remind us both."_

And what a reminder it was. What good is the key to someone's heart…when they can change the locks?

Tugging at the elastic, she snapped it against her wrist, a faint but familiar sting that lessened the pressure rising within, restricting her throat, crushing her spirit. Taking her wand once more, she materialized a rubber band beneath her bracelet, and with a pull of the band, it retracted back against her skin in a cutting pop, reddening upon impact. The buzzing sting in her wrist seemingly hurt less that the weighted turmoil of her soul, so she snapped the rubber band again, stretching it further for a harsher snap. She repeated this a few more times, snapping the rubber band in the same spot so that it hurt more, until she winced when the band snapped in a biting slap, painful enough to brim a tear.

What a hole she dug herself in.

**. . . . . .**

The metal doors of the elevator sliding apart, Blonda and Cupid zoomed down the plain white corridors to the room Uncle Piero informed they would be. _213…_ three numbers repeated on a loop in Blonda's thoughts. _213…_ Neither of them had vehicles, and because they were in too big of a rush, they relied on the magic of their wands to bringing them to the hospital.

Reaching the room with '213' written in white over the glass door, her heart sank at the preview of her father's behind the glass. His limp body slightly elevated on the light-blue mattress, a mask covered his nose and mouth, providing oxygen, his eyes sunk in darkened bags, wires poking from the collar of hospital gown connected to a heart monitor. His skin looked so pale…practically like a ghost. She always envisioned her father as a strong fairy, tough as nails. Entering into the room, instead of the strong fairy she knew, she saw someone fragile and weak, a fairy she hardly recognized.

"What happened?!" Blonda flew to Carmine by her father's bedside while Cupid remained by the door rubbing the goosebumps rising on his forearms, overwhelmed by the dismay dense in the atmosphere.

"We was just goin' over some business when he had a heart attack and collapsed." Piero held his hat to his chest, hovering by the other side of Big Daddy's bed with stressed eyes fixed on his brother. "Doctor's think tha heavy drinkin' might have somethin' to do with his heart attack."

"That and he don't eat or sleep normal on top of workin' too much." Carmine added.

"He also felt as if he had no one to lean on." Piero further explained. "One daughter…you." He pointed a finger towards Blonda. "Actin' like you want nothin' to do with him."

She lowered her gaze, finding little fault in her uncle's statement.

"He disowned the otha…" Piero continued. "Cuz she refused to obey simple rules…and with the love of his life neva comin' back, in Big Daddy's mind, all he had left was work and drinkin'."

"We kept tellin' him he don't gotta deal with it all alone." Carmine sighed. "But he didn't wanna listen. He didn't wanna admit he was strugglin'."

Looking to her father, she thought back to the night he called her, extremely drunk, expressing how much he missed her. Whether they were aware or not, both grieved the loss of someone they held near and dear to them, lamenting in different ways. Blonda resorted to physical intimacy with men, and Big Daddy resorted to liquor. Toxic addictions that cost them their dignity. Professor Cardician, once believed to be different from the rest, subconsciously became another addiction, loving him out of the lack of love she received from her father. The lack of love that was a direct result of the way in which her father struggled to grieve the loss of his first and only love.

A rock of guilt crushed her chest; maybe if she was there for him ore instead of focusing so much on how she suffered, they could have been there for each other in both of their time of need, just like a father/daughter should.

Carmine hovered out of the way so that Blonda could float closer to her father, clasping her hands to her chest. She allowed her tears to swell and trickle rom her eyes, dropping as pellets off her jaw. Her heart still grieved for her mother after all this time, and if she were to lose her father…

How could she go on?

Bending down to his level, Blonda leaned over the lowered rail of the bed, folding one arm beneath her while the other stretched across the right of his chest. She nestled the top of her swirl just blow his chin, balling the fabric of his hospital gown in her fist. Quiet whimpers escaped through her quivering lip as her Uncle Carmine rubbed her back, not knowing how else to comfort her, and Uncle Piero looked on, fixing his mouth in a straight line to conceal his own heartache. Big Daddy wouldn't want anyone to cry over him, he hated sympathy. "Fairywinkles don't cry under any circumstances" he'd say. Blonda just so happened to be a special bread of Fairywinkle that cried regardless. This is her father, after all.

Cupid exited himself to lean against the other side of the glass door, giving Blonda's family the space he felt they needed. He felt exhausted just by the anxiety and sadness surrounding the room, attuned to other's emotions outside of his own. He often faced the criticism of being 'too sensitive' growing up, and he'd always hear 'toughen up' spit from his father's mouth. It was difficult to mask his sensitivity, so he stopped trying to mask it and started embracing it as part of who he was. Closing his eyes, he took some deep breaths, focusing on reducing his nerves.

This was going to be a long day…

* * *

Some anxious students flew out the way against the wall or into their dorms as two armed officers in short-sleeve indigo uniforms traveled along the corridors of Leo Hall. Officers roaming through dorm halls wasn't exactly a normal occurrence, so when they did, it gave the impression of a serious situation. The situation they were called to handle didn't require any weapons; it was all just for their protection in the event things somehow escalate.

Reaching where they needed to be, a few nosy students peered from outside their dorm rooms as one of the officers used their knuckle to give the wooden door a couple pounding knocks, awaiting a response. They waited a few seconds before the officer knocked again, this time announcing their law enforcement affiliation. Allowing a few more silent seconds to pass by, the other officer checked to verify the door was locked, pressing down on the door handle which budged but didn't open. The officer took the extra key given by the RA on duty to open the door from the outside, not wanting to frighten the inhabitant inside.

Once the door was open, both officers entered into the room, finding Juandissimo motionless in his bed on his side. The male officer instructed the female officer to attempt to wake him, hoping he was just asleep and didn't require immediate medical assistance. Hovering closer to Juandissimo's bed, the female officer bent down to give his shoulder a few shakes, calling his name to see if he'd respond. No response came from the first attempt, but by the second attempt, Juandissimo's eyes parted groggily. He wiped the blur from his eyes as the officers waited for him to gain his bearings, sitting up in his bed.

"Hello, Juandissimo." greeted the friendly male officer, floating closer to his partner. "How are you this morning?"

Juandissimo used both palms to wipe his eyes once more, dissipating the haze, and when he blinked a couple times, his nervous eyes widened.

"Relax, you're not in any trouble." The male officer sensed Juandissimo's unease. "We're here because we received a call for a wellness check."

The female officer, standing to her feet, noted the bafflement on Juandissimo's face. "Do you know what a wellness check is?" she asked politely, seeing Juandissimo guardedly shake his head 'no.'

"We received a request from a friend of yours that's concerned about your well-being, so we're just here to ask you a few questions and look around just to make sure you're safe and you don't have anything you could hurt yourself with." The male officer clarified. "I'll ask a few questions, my partner here will search the room, and it shouldn't take longer than a couple minutes before we're out your heir, okay?"

Juandissimo nodded, pulling back the covers to dangle his legs over the bedside, and as the female officer performed her search through various objects in the room, including under Juandissimo's desks and rummaging through his drawers, the male officer took his seat beside him. "Juandissimo, have you been dealing with any large amounts of stress?"

"Sort of." Juandissimo shrugged, keeping his eyes towards his feet. "What student does not?"

"Well, some students tend to handle stress differently than others." The male officer commented. "Especially in the last stretch of the semester."

The female officer searched through what she assumed to be Juandissimo's closet, shuffling through hanging clothes, particularly in their pockets.

"Have you been getting much sleep?" the male officer continued. "Your eyes look a bit red."

"Not really." Juandissimo saw no real point in lying about that. "Probably would have gotten more if you had not woken me."

"Sorry 'bout that." The officer knew Juandissimo had his defenses up. It wouldn't be the first time. "We usually try to respond to wellness checks as soon as we get them, but just try to prioritize getting enough sleep; could help with the stress."

He nodded once more, counting down the minutes when all of this is over.

"Have you had any feelings of hopelessness or depression."

"No." Juandissimo lied, no effort to make eye contact.

"What about any thoughts of suicide?"

The officer noticed Juandissimo's hesitancy in answering that question judging by the thoughtfulness in his brow. Wellness checks recipients aren't always honest about suicidal ideations out of fear that they'll be labeled as crazy, or the fear that they'll be held in custody against their will.

Juandissimo questioned himself whether he actually considered suicide. Despite talking about dying and everyone around him being better off, he had no real plan. If he made a plan, he'd probably go through with it if he actually wanted to die. But, in this instance, Juandissimo turned to the officer, meeting his eyes. "…no."

The officer stared at him skeptically. "You're absolutely certain?"

Juandissimo held his gaze. "Si"

"I've looked around, can't find anything of immediate danger." The female officer announced, finishing her search. "I say he's good to go."

"Alright then." The male officer stood from his seat, facing Juandissimo. "Remember; if you do experience depression of have any suicidal ideations, seek help immediately. Those issues can't go unchecked. Understand?"

"Si. I understand."

"Good." With a final friendly smile, the officers hovered to the same door in which they entered. "Try to have a good rest of your day, alright?"

"Mhmm."

Juandissimo waited for the officers to close the door behind them before he reached for his phone on his desk, letting out an agitated groan.

**. . . . . .**

Heart racing in his throat, Cupid flew to grip the handle to his dorm room, anticipating what will happen once he goes inside. His phone received a phone call and a text, one right after the other. The call came from one of the officers, and the text came from Juandissimo, knowing he wasn't too happy based off his message. He left Blonda at the hospital, making up the excuse that he was going to try and get some sleep which Blonda completely understood. The caffeine had indeed worn off quicker than anticipated, and in spite of his crash, he wouldn't be sleeping anytime soon.

Cupid opened the door and entered to see Juandissimo on his bed with his face in his palms, noting his bouncing knee. Juandissimo definitely wasn't happy, and Cupid prepared for the brunt of his frustration. "…hey, Juan." Cupid hovered to float before Juandissimo, tucking his keys away.

With a heavy sigh, Juandissimo lifted his head, and Cupid felt uneasy from two firm blue-violet orbs staring back at him. "Wellness check?" Juandissimo started off pretty mild. "Seriously?"

Cupid crossed his arms, bracing himself for the worst.

"I had to wake up to two officers in my face and zero idea how or why they were there!" Juandissimo complained. "¡¿Por qué?!"

"Tuh, wasn't even worth the trouble." Cupid scoffed. " _Clearly_ they didn't do a very good job! They called and said you were clear-"

"You have no right!" Juandissimo shot from his bed and stood in front of his roommate's face, holding his glare.

Highly offended, Cupid creased his own brow. _So_ this _is what we're doing? Great..._ "Ex _cuse_ me?! No right what? To _care_ about you?!"

"My business is not _your_ business to mind!" Juandissimo griped with a pointed finger. "You do not know _any_ thing about me-"

"That's the problem, Juandissimo!" Cupid retorted. "You don't talk to me! You never wanna let me in, and when I try to help you shut me out!"

"I do not need your help!"

"You need _somebody's_ help!" Cupid dropped his arms to his sides, refusing to back down. "And don't think for a second I don't know about your little 'Spell' habit!"

Juandissimo froze in his scowl, Cupid nodding haughtily. "Yeah, you don't think I'm stupid, _do_ you?! I may have been blind to it at first, but it didn't take long for me to figure out why you've been acting this way!"

Averting his eyes, Juandissimo balled his fists. He felt backed into a corner, nowhere else to go.

"Juandissimo, _stop_ pushing me away like you've done everyone else!" Cupid flew to grip Juandissimo's shoulders, suppliant in his eyes. "I know you're suffering! You shouldn't suffer on your own!"

If but for a split second, Cupid saw a crack in Juandissimo's defense, diverted eyes saddening in defeat.

"Please, I'm your friend…" the blush-pink fairy pleaded softly. "…I just wanna help you."

Clench in his jaw, Juandissimo raised his eyes, switching from a lost puppy to a glowering wolf, his voice lowering to an ominous tone. "The only way you can help…is to leave me alone."

Moist blue eyes went round in dismay, prominent lines between his brows, gradually creased in angered pain. This was the thanks he gets for caring about him?! A small part of him knew he cared too much, and standing in front of someone so deep in his own hole to crawl himself out, he regretted ever allowing himself to care so deeply. Alewandro was right…it's exhausting caring about someone as irritatingly miserable as him…the only thing you'll get in return is a giant 'fuck you' smacked in your face.

Shoving Juandissimo away from him and yanking his wand from his pocket, Cupid couldn't find his words nor contain his brimming tears before Juandissimo's grimace disappeared from his sight.


	20. Chapter 20

Phone in one hand, Juandissimo leaned back against the back rest of the bench, basking wearily to the full of the silver moon shining against the black backdrop. Glitters of stars sparkled against the night sky, none of which could shine any light in his darkened spirit.

Once Cupid disappeared, he never came back to the room, and after lying in bed all day, falling slave to agonizing thoughts, Juandissimo didn't blame him. He never meant to hurt Cupid's feelings and he hated himself that he did. Cupid didn't deserve that, but Juandissimo never asked for Cupid's sympathy. At the same time, that compassion helped him believe he wasn't as worthless as he thought himself to be. Tarnishing that sympathy only solidified how much of a pile of garbage he was; anyone that could make someone so caring care less…didn't deserve to be around to care for.

Occupying the same lone bench beneath the willow tree, all the voices in his head screamed in his mind. If his heart felt any heavier, it'd probably plummet out of his chest to the ground. Every single day was a struggle, every single day was a fight.

Every. Single. Agonizing. Day.

He was so…so tired. Mentally, physically, emotionally…tired of everything. Of school, of being alone, of his nightmares, of running people's lives, just life in general. No matter how much he fought with himself, no matter how often he drank himself into an altered reality, the memories just wouldn't go away. They never went away.

In his other hand was a full white bottle of blue Spell, only this time, it was full to the brim, and the ratio of cough syrup and vodka could be dangerously lethal. He had mixed such a concoction with every intent to ingest all of it. It's why he texted Cupid, despite believing Cupid wouldn't read it, that he won't be back in the room whenever Cupid decided to return. Struggling just to make it to the next day, the next hour, the next minute, even down to the next second, there comes a point where you just…stop fighting.

Living is futile when your feel as if your soul has already died.

Seeing as how most students were probably at that dumb frat party off campus, the likelihood of anyone else being around wasn't much. Perfect for leaving this world for an entirely different one, perhaps a world where he could no longer feel. A world where nothing and no one can cause him pain, a world where he can't cause anyone else pain. Looking down to the phone in his hand, he contemplated calling his sister and his parents. Would it be selfish of him to call…knowing the possible outcome of drinking every last drop of the toxic concoction? Even if it was…he still wanted to hear their voices…his heart longed to hear their voices. Maybe, just maybe, it would talk him out of it.

He wasn't entirely certain. He clung to life by a thread as it was…

Opening his phone, he searched for Juanita's number and pressed 'dial.' Pressing speaker phone, elongated rings droned for what felt like minutes. It was pretty late…he wouldn't have been surprised if she didn't answer.

There was a moment of silence, the sound of shuffling on the other end, until the purity of her voice graced his ears. "Juandissimo…hey!"

"Hey…" he held the phone closer, not really up to speaking much louder. "…did I wake you?"

"Not really." she softly assured, though he could hear how tired she must be. "¿Estas bien?"

He couldn't possibly tell her…he knew it would just bring her down with him. "Si…¿y tu?"

"Bueno." Juanita sighed. "Well…besides worrying about FCTs."

Remembering his own fairy college testing days, he could sympathize with how stressful Junior year of high school can be. "You will do fine."

"I certainly hope so…"

Silence befell them, and as if on cue, he felt his eyes water. He set his bottle down to wipe them with the back of his hand, closing his eyes to stop the burning. Breaking down just wasn't an option.

"…are you still there?"

Sniffing back a sob, he managed to mask his grief. "Si…" fixing his lips in a line to keep from trembling, he choked out "I miss you…"

"I miss you too, hermano mayor." It took everything not to just give in to his sorrow. "Te quiera."

Keeping himself together, he murmured in response. "…te quiero también…" just a few moments after did he take the chance to ask "…are mamá y papá awake?"

"They should be." she assumed. "They haven't been sleeping well lately…"

Judging by the somber in her tone, it probably wasn't completely within their control. "…is it alright…if I talk to them?"

"I am sure they would love to hear from you." he heard more shuffling on the other end. "Uno momento."

More tears threatened to fall, and when he heard other voices, he damn near felt his heart break.

"…¿Mijo? ¿Estas bien?"

Why was it so triggering hearing such a simple question? Or, in his case, not so simple. "…m-mamá?"

"Oh, mijo…" the concern in his mother's voice only worsened the brimming tears. "¿Qué pasa mal?"

"…nada." he lied. They shouldn't have to worry about him so much... "…Te echo de menos…"

"I miss you too…" she somberly returned. "Te extraño tanto…"

He hadn't made the effort to go home and visit them since Christmas Break. They were oblivious to Spell, and they were oblivious to just how much he indulged. If they knew, especially his father, they would be so…so disappointed. They wouldn't understand why numbing himself became his sole way of coping with his ever-growing demons. They just wouldn't understand. Not at all.

"Hola, mijo…" he heard his father, more than likely right beside his mother. "Are you sure you are alright?"

He covered his mouth to muffle a sob. Why…were they so…freaking…nice?! That's _not_ what he deserved! Not from them. "P-Papá?"

"Si, mijo?"

If he didn't do this, he knew he'd regret it. "…I-I just wanted…" shutting his eyes did little to prevent the stream of his sadness. "…to thank you…" he cleared the frog in his throat. "…for always loving me like your own…" holding his face in his palm, the nerves in his right knee began to bounce. "…e-even when you did not have to…"

"…mijo…" he covered his mouth once more…they can't hear him completely losing it. "…you do not have to thank me. You and Juanita…I loved you both just as much as mi hermana."

Shoulders rocking in the volcano of his anguish, he held the phone far enough in hopes they couldn't hear, just as his father continued. "Tu mamá and I will _always_ love you both…and we want nothing but the best for each of you."

Inhaling a quivering breath, he exhaled what he could to calm himself down. Staying on this phone was becoming entirely too much. Bringing the phone closer, he wipes his tears, speaking just audible enough for his phone to pick up. "…I-I have to go…"

"It is alright, mijo." his mother came through, like she could sense his need for comfort. "Te quiero mucho, remember that…okay?"

If only he wasn't so unworthy…he'd find room to accept such a statement. "...si."

"Okay…adios, mijo." his father interjected before a brief quiet.

Hearing Juanita return on the other line, he managed to stop crying long enough to at least say goodbye. "Adios, hermano."

"…adios…hermanita."

When he disconnected the call, his decision had been made.

Hearing their love for him…hearing how much his absence weighed heavy...intensifying their worry and concern. How could he live with himself, knowing that just by existing, they would continue to suffer? At this point, he was too out of control…

He felt beyond the point of saving…so he must save himself.

Placing his phone in the pocket of his leather jacket, he retrieved the bottle of Spell from the ground. Twisting the cap open, he paused hesitantly, suddenly pinched with guilt. Yet that guilt only fueled his need to numb himself, and with every drop of Spell flowing through his lips, every memory, every past regret, every high, every low, flashed like shuffled cards across his vision, right up to the very last drop.

Shuddering from chugging an entire bottle, he used his arms to rub his mouth has he floated from his seat, hovering to prop himself against the side of the bench. He fought back the overwhelming urge to puke, allowing his wings to cease flight as he slid to the grass below, and he held the now empty bottle in his hand, glossy eyes staring upwards to the moon…

He was going to rid these nightmares for good.

* * *

Booms of 808s and drills of computerized high hats thumped against the cream and navy pin-striped wallpaper stained in one too many crazy nights, rattling the chestnut wooden floors with a sea of college students dancing and jumping about. Little light shone, with yellow and purple Christmas lights lining the top of the walls against the ceiling, along with a few strobe lights planted randomly around the many rooms of the two-story house. The kitchen held many of the refreshments, practically the whole liquor store assorted on countertops and the rickety kitchen table. Tan leather couches with rips and tears of many late-night endeavors provided seating for anyone too plastered to float, or the perfect space for frat boys to make-out with random girls while their brothers cheered them on.

Sigma Pi Lambda Fraternity Inc, appropriately abbreviated with 'SPL' (or 'Spell') hosted another one of their 'frat parties' for anyone and everyone crazy enough to engage in the drunken foolery of toxic masculinity, spiked jello shots, and the looming opportunities of date rape. Just wonderful.

Wanda was not of the mental or emotional capacity to handle much socialization, and Cosmo wasn't speaking to anyone. Everyone in the squad grew concerned for both, yet Wanda encouraged them to try and have a good time to not to let her and Cosmo's situation bring them down with them. This was one of the last parties of the semester before students buckled down for final assignments and final exams. They had to end Freshman year with _some_ kind of bang.

Susie hovered next to Rose, both leaning back with one foot propped against the wall, finding the current game of pool between a frat boy and two random guests entertaining for whatever reason. The boys socialized over next to the refreshments, far away from all the drunk dancing, yet close enough to be near the girls in the event someone felt bold enough to test their patience. Turning to Rose, Susie rested a consoling hand on her shoulder, causing Rose to twitch slightly from the unexpected touch. "You sure you're okay?"

"…y-yeah." Rose tried to sound convincing enough. The last thing Susie or anyone needed was to worry about her so much. They did enough of that as it were. "I-I'm fine."

While Rose wasn't quite comfortable in such a large crowd, as long as she had her best friends and her boyfriend, she figured she could try to forget Zimmerman ever existed. Zimmerman was in jail, far away from her to where he can't reach her. Security at the local Fairy World Prison proved difficult to skate passed, though Zimmerman wasn't one to simply stay put. What if from some odd chance he were to escape, and what if, by some odd chance, he was to find her alone with no one else around…

Observing the girls from the back wall a few feet away from the girls watching the ongoing game of pool, One of the Spell fraternity brothers smiled to his buddies, all three of them eyeballing both girls with preying stares, ranking their level of attraction from across the room.

"Yo, forty bucks the redhead gives bomb head." the fairy with turquoise eyes and short hair snickered, sporting a mustard-yellow letterman jacket with purple SPL engraved vertically on the right side.

"Ha, fifty the darky gives bomb puss." his navy-blue-eyed dreadloc brethren playfully nudged his shoulder, wearing the same letterman jacket.

The third, brown eyes matching his side-shave, held his sensual gaze upon the girl with marmalade-orange puffs. "…I want the redhead."

"Bro, she give me those 'uppity' vibes." The navy-blue fairy commented "You really wanna tap that?"

"Bro, what do I always tell you?" the brown fairy arrogantly slapped his brethren's shoulder. "Don't matter to me, cuz they always come back for tha D!"

The three of them laughed in their sardonic glee, drunken from one too many shots of whiskey. "Well what are you waitn' on, dude?" the turquoise fairy egged on. "Go hit that!"

"Bet."

Slicking his side-shave, the brown fairy flew over to make his move. Moving passed other fairies in the crowd, he waited for the girls to notice his approach, holding a friendly yet crafty smile. "So…" he made a point to lean with his arm against their wall, hovering a little too close to Rose's liking. "What brings you fine mamasitas here, tonight?"

"You standin' a lil' close, aren't you?" Susie asked as more of a warning, Rose's obvious discomfort as more reason to react.

"Ah, my bad." he pretended to remorse, repositioning himself to hover in front of Rose instead of right beside her, eyeing each one of them.

"And we're all taken, by the way!" Susie felt the need to clarify, sniffing a dirty flirt as smelly as they come. "So you might wanna get lost." Folding her arms, she narrowed her brow in a defensive glare. "Our boyfriends can get quite jealous…"

Lips slowly curling into a wider smile, he caught on to their game. None, of which, had any real affect. Willing or not, he always gets what he wants…

His preying eyes turned back to Rose, unbothered by the distrust in her stare. "Is that so?"

Pointing a finger, Susie directed his attention to the other side of the pool table towards the where the boys huddled by the refreshments. "Why don't you ask the blue fairy over there and find out."

Nothing in the world made him laugh harder than that scrawny little blue puss glaring back at him. " _That's_ her man?!" he mockingly asked, turning back to Rose's direction. "Some little punk?!"

With newfound courage, Rose fixed her own irritated glare; say what you want about her, but talk about her man? You must want this want this can of whoop-ass. "Buzz off, pencil peen!'"

Smile fading into a menacing scowl, nothing in the world aggravated him more than some little uppity skank demeaning his manhood.

And so he snatched Rose by the arm, his nails digging into her skin. "Little ugly whores like you _probably_ shouldn't play hard to get!"

"Let _GO_ of me!" Rose scratched at his hand as Susie yanked his arms in attempts to make him let go. This can't be happening, not again…

His tight grip didn't last long, not when a blue fairy red with rage mustered all of his strength to shove him off. Before the brown fairy had a chance to react, Spike balled his fist and decked him square in the jaw as Alewandro pulled Susie and Rose behind him. When the navy and turquoise frat brothers came to their friend's defense, Thornton also got in the mix by grabbing one by the arm to throw him into the other, both colliding to the ground in a heap.

The heated commotion shut everything down, the music, the dancing, the strobe lights, everything. Someone from the fraternity flipped the ceiling fan lights on as Spike and his brown opponent tumbled to the ground where he rolled on top of him and proceeded to throw articulated punches on any free surface they could bruise. Using his arms as a defense, the brown fairy blocked just a few Spike's punches as a few cracked his nose and almost blacken both of his eyes. Since the incident with Zimmerman, he vowed to himself to never, _ever_ , let _any_ bastard touch his Rose again, and if they had the balls to try him, he wasn't just going to stand and do nothing…not again.

Rose watched from behind Susie, seeing the fury in his eyes, hearing rage in his grunts with each punch thrown. She knew he was trying to protect her, but the Spike defending her appeared much grizzlier, not like the Spike she knew. Not the sweet bear she'd gotten to know. Seeing such aggression, such fury, reminded her of someone she never wanted to see again.

Thornton and Alewandro hurried to Spike, wrestling both arms to stop his wild strikes, and the brown fairy clutched his hemorrhaging jaw as he painfully lifted himself from the floor, darting a scowl. "You little shit!" he shouted, though, as legible as he could from the dislocation in his jawline. "I'll _kill_ you!"

"Dude, stop!" another frat brother grabbed his brown brethren by his shoulder, holding him back. "You get inna fight, you get the axe!"

The brown fairy cursed under his breath; damn regulations. Huffing and puffing from his anger, the brown fairy was dragged away by his frat brother, pulled into the crowd to a nearby bathroom with a first-aid kit.

Some low mumbles rumbled through the crowd as Spike yanked himself free from his friend's grasps, and the instant Spike's eyes fell upon his girlfriend, the anger that once coursed through him depleted. He saw the fear in her eyes, as if she didn't recognize him.

"Rose…" Spike flew to his girlfriend, reaching to take her by the hands. Rose remained apprehensive, reluctant to go near him. Seeing Spike so hostile reminded her of how angry Zimmerman used to get, how furious he'd become…how dangerous he became.

"Hey…" he softened his worried expression in hopes of calming her nerves, trying to ignore the throb in his knuckles. He was just trying to protect her, and while he could have done _much_ more damage, he tried to be a bit careful to not fall too far from the edge because he knew if he did, he'd scare her more than he already has.

"Guys, c'mon." Thornton urged, getting the group's attention. "Let's make like a banana and split."

Regardless of the corny joke inserted in a situation that escalated entirely too quickly, everyone was in agreeance to leave such a fiasco of a party. Taking her by the hand, Alewandro led Susie through the bustling crowds with Spike and an anxious Rose not too far behind, Thornton taking the rear in the event that brown bastard's friends wanted another shot.

Just when things couldn't get any worse…

**. . . . . .**

Alewandro, Susie, Spike, Rose, and Thornton ventured back to campus, turning from the sidewalk to hover inside the campus walls from the entrance just a few yards from the campus library. Rubbing her back as they floated, Spike caressed Rose's hand with the other, slightly wincing from the radiating heat in his hands.

"...Spike, your knuckles are red." Rose observed the hand that held hers in concern. "You need ice."

"Don't worry about me." Spike insisted, fighting through the pain. "I'm fine."

Traveling along the stone paths with yards of grass on either side, Rose happened to turn to her right, seeing a slumped figure against a bench by the willow tree. "…hey, guys." she spoke to get everyone's attention, pointing to the figure a few yards away. "Is it me, or is that Juandissimo over there?"

Everyone turned to Rose's finger, looking for themselves, and sure enough, Alewandro instantly recognized the wilted ponytail over the leather jacket's left shoulder. He probably wouldn't have felt a surge of uneasiness if it weren't for how still and lifeless he appeared. "…dios mi, it is!"

The others rushed behind Alewandro as they flew to Juandissimo's aid, and Alewandro kneeled down to Juandissimo's level as the rest gathered around them both. Eyes sunken and skin draining in hue by the second, the stiffness of his form gave little indication whether he was still breathing. Blue-stained chin drooped on his chest, just his shoulders remained propped against the leg of the bench with everything from the waist down, sprawled flat. The white wife-beater beneath his leather jacket had been tainted blue with what appeared to be fresh bile, and an empty bottle lay inches away from his limp hands by his sides. Horrified from such a scene, Rose clasped her hands over her mouth with Spike pulling her into an embrace, and Thornton joined Alewandro in their attempts to wake him.

"Juan!" Alewandro reached to lift Juandissimo by his chin, repeatedly tapping the side of his face. "¡Juandissimo, despierta!"

"Aye, Juan!" Thornton gave Juandissimo's shoulder a couple of rough shakes, causing his head to wobble. "Time ta wakeup, buddy!"

All efforts were in vain. Regardless of how rough Thornton shook or how hard Alewandro slapped, Juandissimo's eyes did not open.

Bending down to the mysterious white bottle, Susie brought it to her nose, catching a swift whiff of something that reminded her of medicine…and alcohol. "Hey," she held the bottle to Spike beside her. "what does this smell like?"

Taking the bottle to find out, Spike sniffed a couple times, flinching from the potent burn. "Don't smell pleasant, I know that much…"

Suddenly, Juandissimo's once limp arms began to stiffen in mild jerks of his muscles, and most of his body twitched electrically.

"…Juan?!" Alewandro panicked; the spasms in Juandissimo's muscles worsened at a fast rate, jerking moans in reaction to the convulsions overtaking his body.

The same panic enlarged in Susie's eyes…flashing back to the day her unresponsive father shook in the same uncontrollable manner. "Get him on the ground away from the bench!" she urged panickily, kneeling to her boyfriend's side. "He's having a seizure!"

Thornton and Alewandro did as instructed as they faced a bit of difficulty maneuvering Juandissimo to lay in the grass as Spike pulled out his phone to dial 911, holding a terrified Rose close to his chest. Juandissimo's rapid jerks grew more intense, yet Susie told the boys not to pin him down.

"How do we stop this?!" Thornton anxiously asked, looking to Susie for some kind of guidance.

"You can't!" Susie regretfully told, fiddling for her phone in her jean jacket to try and time the seizure. "You just have to hope it stops!"

"Uh, yeah, we need an ambulance like ten seconds ago!" Spike held his phone to his ear, staring down at Juandissimo in his explanation to the emergency operator on the other end. "There's a student at the Fairy Academy seizing a helluva 'lot and we have no idea why…" his nerves chilled in his skin when white foam bubbled out of Juandissimo's mouth, and unable to stand the horrific sight any longer, Rose covered her face with her hands, burying into Spike's chest as she cried in hitched sobs. "And if you could like, HURRY?! _That_ would be great!"

Overwhelmed in hysterics, Alewandro pressed his hands to both sides of his temples with Thornton frantically questioning "Susie, is this _normal_?!"

"Does it _LOOK_ normal?!" Susie herself was horrified from the gurgles of foam erupting from Juandissimo's throat. "Try to get him on his side so he doesn't choke!"

Thornton grabbed what he could of his shoulders to turn him over. Seeing the color slowly drain from his brother's face and his eyes rolled backwards from the little his lids parted, hitched breaths strained his chest as Alewandro started to hyperventilate. Hearing Alewandro struggle to breathe, she held him by his shoulders, one hand cupping his face to force his icy-blue to meet her indigo. "Babe, you gotta breathe!" She muffled the urgency in her tone with what little calm she could muster, for Alewandro's sake.

The burn of his pacing heart pounding against his ribs, his shoulders trembled in his efforts to catch his breath. Air seemed to only tighten his starving lungs, and hot tears flowed in rivets as his chest ached from crying, unable to stop his body from shuddering. Susie did her best to push down her own hysterics, pulling her boyfriend to hold his head against her bosom with the other arm wrapped securely around his shoulders, allowing he struggled to breathe through hitched sobs, covering his face with trembling hands.

Was he angry with his brother at first? Sure. Did he hate him, even? At one point. But never would he want _this_. How could he ever want this?! His brother was suffering and he couldn't do a damn thing about it…

Wait.

His brother was suffering…

…and he did not a damn thing but make it worse.

Alewandro thought he shouldn't have to stop hanging out with the two people his brother had grown to hate just because of what they did to him. Wanda breaking up with Juandissimo because she realized she still loved Cosmo had nothing to do with him, and for Juandissimo to peg him as some traitor crawled under his skin.

"Why should he have to suffer just because his brother does?" That was what he used to ask himself. But why couldn't he have been little more sympathetic? It was him that convinced Juandissimo to shoot his shot with Wanda in the first place, was it not? Wasn't he all for the relationship, despite how soon it probably was after Cosmo and Wanda broke up?

Only five weeks apart in age, Juandissimo looked up to Alewandro as Juanita looked up to Juandissimo. Whatever Wandro did, Juan wanted to do, and when they were younger, wherever Wandro was, Juan was sure to follow. Their bond was already strong like brothers well before the adoption. Juandissimo went through heartbreak not once, but twice. The breakup with Wanda tore him to shreds; he cared and loved her deeply, and just being near her alleviated most of his woes. The break up absolutely destroyed him, but while Juandissimo needed his big brother more than ever before… Alewandro hated him.

He hated Juandissimo expressing his anguish in anger, he hated Juandissimo for taking issue to befriending Wanda and Cosmo, accusing him of being in full support of the pain it caused, and he believed Juandissimo brought his troubles on himself when in reality, that wasn't always the case. Especially not with his mother.

The audacity of his words regarding his late aunt had to be the lowest of blows.

Torn down in a heap of agony and heartache, and Alewandro just had to light another match by blaming a tragedy that was no one else's fault that the madman who caused it. Thinking back now, did he even mean any of what he said? Did he just say those things to hurt Juandissimo as much as the receiving end of Juandissimo's spitefulness hurt him? It wasn't Juandissimo's fault that his mother was so brutally murdered…it was never his fault. Yet in spite of knowing Juandissimo blamed himself plenty, Alewandro just had pull the trigger to the gun Juandissimo already held against his chest…

Alewandro cursed himself for being such a fool. Why else would Juandissimo have pushed everyone away? Instead allowing Juandissimo's behavior to push him away, he should have read between the lines. Juandissimo didn't _want_ to push anyone away, he did so because he felt he _had_ to, as if he deserved nothing else but to suffer in silence.

To say he was completely blind to Juandissimo's emotional deterioration would be a lie. He could see how much Juandissimo was hurting, and judging by his tardiness and the constant hangovers, he figured Juandissimo wasn't taking care of himself. He just didn't care. He didn't care if Juandissimo chose to rot from the inside out. But if he bothered to see outside of his own eyes and care, then Juandissimo wouldn't be unresponsive on the ground in erratic convulsions right now…

No…he can't lose his hermanito…not like this.

* * *

_…Darkness. Pure, bleak darkness. So satisfying...so warm..._

_Black. Nothing but black. No walls, no ground, no sky...simply…abyss. Swimming in a never-ending sea of obscurity, bleak in the shadows. His soul swam freely…almost flew. He felt so light…so free...he never wanted to leave...never wanted the darkness to end._

_He didn't want to go back. Ever._

_Suddenly her dark world created a speckle of light. Such a tiny speck of white. He felt herself become drawn towards the speck, almost mesmerized. And yet the darkness continued to pull him in, drown her within the deep waters of serenity..._

_The speck soon turned into a small hole...a round ball of shine which began to burn. His soul was burning beneath the beam of light as it continued to grow, almost drawing closer. He felt the darkness become weaker...the light growing stronger. As much as he wanted to fight, he could feel nothing. He could not sense any hands or feet, or even his spine. Nothing..._

_So numb, lifeless, he grew nearer and nearer towards such an enormous shaft of light…drawing him closer...quicker...faster..._

_Void of blank space surrounded him, pure white in every direction. He recognized this place…from many of his vivid nightmares. Was this another one?_

_As if to answer his question, an angelic figure materialized before him. A light which resembled the face of a familiar angel. A familiar angel, always near. Her soft, lilac eyes, her silk, golden brown skin, her long, flowing black waves, her warm, porcelain smile…_

_The holiness of her essence…before the blood._

_He watched her intently as she drew near, her entrancing smile shrouding him in warmth. Frozen, unable to move, enveloped in the shock of it all…her delicate hands brushed his cheeks, holding him as she gazed lovingly upon him._

_So much longing, so much yearning, dropping rivets from his blue-violet eyes into her palms. Here she was, right in front of him…just as beautiful as he remembered, her hands soft as he remembered, her whole aura so kind and caring…_

_Estrella…his mother._

_"Do not forget, mijo…" her gentle, sweet voice parted her lips, her thumbs stroking his face in tiny circles. "…no estas solo."_

_Raising quivering hands to hers, he peered into her lilac orbs… blinking for the water in his eyes to fall. As much as he wished to be overjoyed in her presence, an enormous amount of guilt washed over him. "…lo siento mamá…"_

_Lowering his head, she holds his eyes to hers, her empathy waivered. "Do not be, mijo…" the love in her smile can light any darkness… "You did nothing wrong..."_

_Whether she believed that or not, he couldn't accept that… "Por favor…"his eyes swelled in his remorse, streaming larger in her hands. "…forgive me…"_

_"Mijo…you did not wrong me." she tenderly ensured. "if anything at all…please forgive me…" her smile fell into deep sorrow "…for not leaving him sooner…for causing you and tu hermana so much pain…"_

_Cries muffling into soft sobs…his aching gaze remained…the tight in his throat choking his words. "…I wish…I can stay with you…"_

_"I know, mijo, but you cannot…" she comforted him, her eyes glossing in her smile to him. "…you are not meant to be where I am."_

_Shutting his eyes, he lowered his head once more in regret, but she lifted his chin for him to look at her, hoping to shed hope into his despair. "Remember…I am always with you…" her other hand set carefully over his, right over where his heart would be. "…always…in here."_

_Sparkles of a brighter light shined behind him, both turning in its direction. The sun of a new beginning…of a new life._

_"It is time for you to go…" she stated unfortunately, causing him to spin around to gaze upon her beauty once more. "…you must go back…"_

_Hesitation riddled his features…he didn't want to…_

_Sensing his hesitation, she hovered to embrace him lovingly, squeezing every inch of him she could…every inch…that she missed dearly. He, in return, held her near, feeling her tender fingers scrunch the back of his head, just as when he was a small child. In this embrace they stayed…just long enough for the light behind them to shine brighter…_

_"…Te quiera mucha, Juandissimo…"she breathed against his cheek, damping his with her joyous yet mournful tears. "…mi querido hijo…"_

_Letting his tears flow freely, he whimpered "…te quiero mucho…mi madre angel…"_

_It pained her to let him go, but she knew it was what she must do. He couldn't be here…not when he did not need to be. She loved him with every essence of herself, and if you truly love someone, you must let them go…_

_He waited for her to plant a kiss on his cheek, the salt of his tears coating her lips, and he stood back momentarily to capture the sight of such beauty, engraving her beauty in his mind so that he may cherish this memory for as long as he shall live…He needed to remember her before her death…needed to implant such a peaceful, soothing image of her…so that he may find peace in the comfort of her presence…while not physical, always spiritual…_

_In willing himself to do as his mother said, he turned towards the shining light and floated in its direction…as if a magnetic pull…his control disappeared…as the light pulled its rope around him…sucking him in with a gentle force…_

His eyes throbbed in his slow blinks, stung from the light mounted into a pane of fiberglass above him. His face felt covered by something suctioned around his nose and mouth, breathing his oxygen for him. A weighted dizziness fogged his skull, uncertain of his whereabouts or how he came to be. Rhythmic mechanical beeps pulsed gradually into his ears, growing louder the more he entered into wakefulness, and for some odd reason, he couldn't freely move his left arm, sensing a dead weight next to it.

Regaining just enough consciousness to move his eyes, he tilted his head slightly to see his sister's body snuggled next to his in the same singular bed of baby-blue cotton, her head rested peacefully on the left of his chest with her side ponytail slung over her shoulder. Her arm hung over his torso in her sleep, holding on as if to never let go. Finding the strength to look further to his left, his mother slept with her head propped against her husband's shoulders as his cheek fell against the top of her silky black waves, both slouched in chairs that looked far from uncomfortable as far as he could comprehend.

His head pounding, he willed his neck to turn more to his right, only to see his brother curled on his side in two chairs pushed together. It didn't look like he was sleeping, his shoulders rose and fell too irregularly. With most of the little energy he gained drained, exhaustion came creeping back in a darkened haze. His eyes slowly began to droop, the sweet relief of sleep calling to him. His ears caught the muddled sound of a muffled sob, the sight of icy tears streaming from his brother's clinched eyes as the last he saw before he drifted into blissful dreams.

_To be continued…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo I'm outlining the second part right now, but I'm also getting married this March (in two weeks to be exact) sooooooo I won't make any promises as to how soon the second part will come out. But, I hope the second part doesn't disappoint. I've been posting two chaps a day this week since on FF it's already finished, so you can check me out there too under the same username.  
> Anyway, see ya when I see ya :)

**Author's Note:**

> AN: Whelp...first chapter. Pretty light and simple. Let me know what cha think.


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